Harry Potter and the Guardians
by Trixie7
Summary: WIP PreHBP TITLE CHANGE Hermione tries to talk to her parents but it seems more has been going on during the year than evil Defence teachers
1. Kate

**Disclaimer - nope not JK Rowling - own nothing**

Chapter 1 - Kate

May 16th, 1996

"Lucius Malfoy condemned to prison." Proclaimed the Daily Prophet. "About bloody time" she thought "finally run out of bribes to give the Ministry, only took that idiot Fudge ten years to see him for the slime ball he is" She thought back to the first time she had met the Minister, well, met was taking it a bit far, the first time she and the Minister had been in the same room, would be a much more accurate way of describing the encounter. She had been otherwise distracted at the time; she closed her eyes at the memory preferring to shut it out than relive the events of her life that day which had in reality changed her life.

She hadn't touched her wand in ten years and maybe it was time that she started to think about curing the curse that meant she couldn't. Her father had placed it on her ten years ago. He had cursed her wand so that if she touched it for any purpose at all he would know and he could come after her and kill her. She'd stood up to him in an obvious confrontational manner for the first time that day. There had been other more subtle times in the past but no there was no way he could've ignored what she did to him that day. And she'd known it, that was why she had done it in public hoping that his desire to maintain an aura of respectability would prevent him from killing her there and then. And it had, barely. He had instead cursed her the only way he knew how and effectively banished her from the world she knew and the people she loved.

There were days she hated herself for the decision she had made but most days even now eight years later she still shuddered at the though of staying and fulfilling the destiny her father had made for her and married Franklin Nott. After all the Nott's had been just as fascinated in the Dark Arts as her father, and that was a road she was most definitely not interested in travelling. And she'd told him so, at graduation. She'd warned nobody that she was going to do it, although her friends and Charlie had probably either hoped or guessed that she would pursue this course of action.

Charlie, she let her thoughts wander down the memory lane that was signposted by the handsome Gryffindor seeker. He's been her light, she'd been so sure that they would end up together, she loved him still and lived in hope that he loved her in return. It had been her decision to leave him; after her father had cursed her as he did she felt she had had to leave. The _Definio Curse_ that her father had placed on her had bound her wand **and **her magic to him and he had promised her that if she ever used magic or had anyone use it on her, even a simple healing spell he would know. They had been standing in the Great Hall at the time and she was certain from the look in his eye that had they not been she'd be dead by now and that he would kill her the next time he saw her. He had then turned on his heal and left. The Great Hall had been as silent as it had the morning that Dumbledore had announced that Voldemort had been defeated. Her mother had looked down her nose at her, a difficult achievement as they were now the same height, sniffed and then turned to follow her father. Nobody else moved, they were still stunned the _Definio_ was usually only used my parents on their under age kids, those with a powerful innate magic that could make things explode in temper, before they had learned how to control that magic. Why on earth would Lucius Malfoy use it on his daughter, a girl who was of age?

She turned to her friend Rose Evans and asked "Any chance I could stay with your family while I sort myself out?" Rose was muggle born and there was therefore little chance of her getting accidentally hit with a spell of some sort. She hadn't thought her father would actually curse her here in Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's nose! And now she had to think about the way in which this particular curse was going to affect her life

_June 6th 1987_

"_What just happened?" Her cousin Nymphadora demanded as they both watched Narcissa Malfoy exited the Great Hall_

"_I'm fairly certain I've been disowned" Her cousin replied. "I told gitface I wasn't marrying Nott and there was no way he was going to make me and that I wasn't returning home with him and mother. And, well you saw his response. I'll have to get you to take my wand out of my pocket later."_

"_Correct me if I'm wrong" interjected their friend Rose "but doesn't the Definio bind your magic to the one who curses you"_

"_Sure does but not in a way that they can use it, its like an alarm system to warn parents that their child is using magic. Usually used by parents so that they are aware that their children are using their magic I found it very useful when Nymphadora was young" Katelyn turned to face her aunt Andy. Andromeda surveyed her niece wondering what they were going to do about this particular problem. _

"_My dear, you don't need to worry about staying with Rose, you can come home with us we are family"_

" _I know Andy but they'll be expecting that and I couldn't put you all in trouble plus it might be an idea to start learning how to do things the muggle way, doesn't look like I'll be using my wand any time soon. That is if you think your parents won't mind Rosie? I'm kinda just dumping myself on you here"_

"_Isn't that what friends are for. Come home with me and we can start to sort things out. Meanwhile "Rose Evans looked over her friends shoulder" I think it's quite possible that you're about to get more problems not only is Charlie on his way over so is lover boy. _

"_Look can you guys tell Charlie I'll talk to him in the common room later, I may as well get Nott over and done with"_

"_Yeah, like we can get Charlie to stand by and let you talk to Nott"_

_Kate sighed Rose had a point her boyfriend was overprotective, probably came from having five younger siblings, but still right now it the last thing she could deal with was Charlie hexing Nott if for no other reason than she'd probably find herself in some cross fire and the _Definio_ now in place that could be serious trouble for her. _

"_Your right, could you at least remind him that if I get by a curse my dad will know and the temper he is in right now could cause him to do anything. Look even his kid brother is trying to stop him from doing anything." The others turned to see twelve year old Percy Weasley standing between Charlie, Kate and Nott. Dora and Rose hurried on over while Kate turned to Nott, her aunt Andy remained where she was. _

"_I'll be okay Andy" Kate told her aunt_

"_I won't be far away" Andy replied recalling the time she had herself advised her betrothed that she would not be attending their prearranged wedding ceremony, it had not been pretty at all and if this boy attempted to hex her niece someone was going to have to step in front of her before Lucius got the chance to do whatever it was he was planning for the girl. She had to admit she'd shown every ounce of Gryffindor courage she possessed at that moment standing up to her father, a man she was still convinced had followed the ways of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named despite of wriggling out of his trial some years previously._

_Kate turned quite calmly to Franklin Nott, looked him straight in the eye and told him "I'm not marrying you, that's why my father cast the _Definio._"_

"_What do you mean you're not marrying me?"_

"_Could you perhaps be a little more specific in where you are having difficulty in understanding the statement?" Katelyn was beginning to feel mightily hacked off and severely in need of chocolate and no longer in the mood to be polite. She had been tense all the way through the graduation ceremony dreading the confrontation with her father. She hadn't given Nott much thought, she didn't care for him at all, she still remembered with horror when her mother had sat her down at the age of ten and told her that her father had arranged a marriage for with the eldest of the Nott boys, and perhaps it would be a good idea if she were to get to know him while they were at school, but not to well. This discussion was then followed by a talk about the birds and the bees, a talk she recalled that was very different from the one Aunt Andromeda had given her and Dora the previous week the day after Dora's eleventh birthday. Her mother had never once mentioned the word 'love' and it was that fact more than anything that had stayed with Katelyn in the intervening years and probably the reason she had made some of the choices she had._

"_Your father signed a marriage contract promising you to me"_

"_Yeah, well I'm 'unpromising' myself thanks very much, I don't like you Frankie, let alone love you and to be honest being this close" she gestured to the two foot gap between them " is making my skin crawl. Look why don't you just take this opportunity to marry Ambrosia Fudge, you know you're nuts about her, and her father hasn't promised her to anyone" Her eyes softened as she looked at him, in all honesty it wasn't his fault anymore than it was hers, and he had hidden her relationship with Ambrosia, just as well as she had hidden hers with Charlie, which for their final year had been well not very well. "Going to get hitched to Weasley then?" he asked. "I don't know, there's magic involved in the ceremony you know, which is quite possibly why my father just cast the curse he did" The wheels turning in Katelyn's head as she said this made her think about the statement and she realised that she could quite possibly be right on that score. Merlin he was one sadistic bastard. Frankie looked her in the eye, nodded as he saw her eyes widen in recognition of the truth of her statement and told her "I'd better go before that Weasley temper explodes and you cause another scene" He too then turned on his heel and left. She turned to see Charlie still looking at her. She caught his eye, as blue as the ocean she often found herself just swimming in them, she smiled recognising the love, concern and hope within them._

Katelyn jolted back into the present as her assistant knocked on her door, wondering as she did on a nearly daily basis just where was Charlie Weasley these days. And as she glanced at the headline once again how was her baby brother coping with a parent in Azkaban?


	2. Nymphadora

Chapter 2 – Nymphadora 

1 July 1996

Nymphadora Tonks couldn't believe her mother had made her do this. Then again it wasn't only her mother who was making her do it either, She had after all made a promise nearly fifteen years before hand that ensured that this was something she had to do. Mind you, things had changed since then and one of the people she had sworn to protect had gone and grown up to be a foul mouthed idiot, but as yet she hadn't remade his acquaintance. With one final glance after Harry and the Dursleys she told Remus and Mad-Eye she'd see them at the meeting that evening and turned back to Platform 9 and ¾. She hadn't been on the platform itself since her own last day of school and suddenly she found herself recalling those events.

_July 1, 1988_

"_Katie, you have to at least say goodbye" she had admonished her cousin. They'd been looking towards the family of red heads greeting the two that had just got off the train._

"_No, I haven't got to do anything, he made that perfectly clear last night" Nymphadora knew that look in her cousins eye and knew not to mess with her, but she also knew that Katelyns' heart was breaking, could see it in her eyes and the bags under them and the muffled crying she had done last night as she had laid in the dormitory with them the previous night. For the first time all year Kate had left her Head Girl's room and stayed with Rosie and her, she had said that she wanted her last night to be just like her first. They'd planned it a couple of days before hand although Nymphadora doubted that Katie had planned on crying again. Katie had cried their first night because she'd been sorted into Gryffindor. The first Malfoy in the history of the schools existence not to be sorted to Slytherin. As she had explained to her dorm mates the following morning she wasn't ashamed she was relieved, but the thoughts of what her father would say terrified her. Nymphadora recalled kicking Rosie under the table and shaking her head so that she wouldn't ask for more information. And then last night Katie had been crying from a broken heart. Charlie had not reacted well to Katie's refusal of his offer for her to come home with him; they had had a blazing row in the common room. While Charlie's temper was well know Katie's was not and it had exploded that night. Possibly because Charlie had pounced on her the moment she had returned from her confrontation with Franklin Nott. First and second years scattered in minutes, with the exception of Percy Weasley, who had hidden himself in a corner observing all, the other years were not that long behind them. Rosie and Nymphadora had been the last two to leave the room and had placed a silencing charm on the room with instructions to the Fat Lady to warn anybody about to enter what was going on within the common room walls. The last thing they had heard was Charlie yelling that she could go back to Franklin Nott for all he cared, after all he was the one she had run to after being cursed. It was another half hour before Katelyn had joined them in the dormitory refusing to say anything other than that she was still going to Rose's the following day and could they not talk about the day's events, and if they didn't mind she was going to skip dinner as she was exhausted "been a bit of an emotional day" she'd commented. They'd left her in peace and gone to remove the silencing charm to meet Professor McGonagall in the common room questioning Percy about its presence. They'd told her about the row and when she'd asked as to Kate's whereabouts they'd told her she was sleeping in the dormitory. Nymphadora recalled the softness that had appeared in the stern professors eyes as she nodded and asked them to have Kate go to her office in the morning before they departed, as she wanted a quick word with the girl. When they'd returned from dinner they'd pretended to believe Katelyns pretence of being asleep. Now here they were on Platform 9 and ¾ for the final time and Nymphadora didn't think they'd spoken to each other all morning._

"_Do you want one of us to go over? Let him know that you'll be staying with Rosie?" Nymphadora felt she had to say something to break the silence of the last five minutes._

"_No, I told Percy earlier, let's just go." Kate pleaded. The trio approached the barrier passing through almost immediately and were met by the Evans' and Nymphadoras' dad Ted. There had been pleasantries and promises to write once Kate had got her head round everything, and the two groups had separated._

1 July 1996

Nymphadora reflected now that she hadn't seen her cousin again. Katelyn had stayed for about six weeks with Rose Evans and her family and then just disappeared. Rosie still maintained that she didn't know where Kate had gone. And now here Nymphadora was eight years later meeting Kate's younger brother off the Hogwarts Express.

Draco Malfoy. A boy Nymphadora, or Tonks as she was now insisted on being called, didn't know anymore. He hadn't attended that fateful graduation day as he'd only been eight at the time and not allowed at Hogwarts yet. As she passed through the barrier from the station to the platform she recalled that Harry and his friends didn't have good things to say about the boy the few times his name had come up in conversation last summer. Of course this probably wasn't helped by the fact that Lucius Malfoy had tried to kill Harry a short time before. How had the man continually got away with these things? She looked around the platform not seeing any signs of the boy. Remus had told Draco was the image of his father and that he would be unmistakeable on the platform. She checked with Simon the conductor who monitored the students as they left the platform, Draco definitely had not tried to get out past him and had as yet not been seen on the platform. In fact at this stage there was only one group of people left on the platform and so she decided to approach them. As she did so she recognized Mrs. Eleanor Nott, Franklins mother. She had not aged well in the ten years since graduation. It looked as though there was a younger version of Franklin standing by her. With a quick glance around the people standing on the platform she realised that she was about to approach a group of Mrs. Death Eaters, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson. Merlin could this day get any better! "Where is my son?" Mrs Crabbe or Goyle was demanding of a girl who looked remarkably like Linden Parkinson, except slightly better looking.

"I'm not his keeper" the girl replied "He left our compartment ages ago with Crabbe and Malfoy and I haven't seen any of them since!"

Tonks butted in "Is Draco Malfoy missing?" Mrs. Goyle turned to Tonks eyes flicking up and down the girl, lingering for a moment on the pink hair. "And you are?" The woman asked with a sneer. Tonks did all she could to resist rolling her eyes and instead replied with a smirk of her own "His cousin, with his mother missing, my mother has been made his guardian"

"Mrs. Malfoy is missing?" the girl interjected "since when. Does Draco know? He hasn't said anything"

"She's been missing since the Dementors left Azkaban, Draco should know as my mother wrote to him when the courts appointed her as his guardian. Now I know he hasn't left the platform, so we can only assume that he is still on board somewhere. Who wants to help find him and the other missing boys?"

The girl and a tall boy with a dark complexion nodded to her indicating their help. The young Nott boy scowled and raised an eyebrow to his mother "We must be getting home I'm afraid I have an appointment" Eleanor Nott volunteered "perhaps Pansy, you could owl Theodore and let him know how the search goes." The woman's tone had now turned quite authoritative. The girls face had blanked of any of the concern it held for Draco, while her a woman, obviously her mother answered. "Of course she will. I'm sure she's already looking forward to your son's reply." Tonks had had enough at this stage "Ladies, if we," gesturing to Pansy and the dark skinned boy "could just start the search I'd appreciate it. My mother is awaiting Draco's arrival." Tonks crossed the platform to board the train. She turned to Pansy and the boy "Where did you last she him and what direction did he go in?"

"We were sitting in the middle of the train and they went to the back"

"Right then, you two start in the middle and I'll start at the rear and eventually we should find them." Tonks suggested. Tonks stepped back aboard the train and the smell hit her, a mixture of sweaty feet, musty books, and chocolate. This was the smell of the school train. She started sticking her head into compartments looking for her cousin and his friends, three teenage boys couldn't just disappear aboard the Hogwarts Express surely. Crikey! What if Aunt Cissa had portkeyed them out of there to join the Death Eaters? She should've thought of this. But she had to warn the Dursleys to behave themselves Harry was going through a rough time. He'd be thinking of Sirius. Great now she was thinking of Sirius. _Don't dwell on it Tonks!_

"Hey!" she heard an urgent voice "Hey there …eh…ma'am we found Draco and the others" the boy was there.

"Great, don't call me ma'am though… please. The name is Tonks" She stuck her hand out. "Hi." The boy smiled "I'm Blaise, Blaise Zabini and we found the others they look as though they've been jinxed we'll probably need your help to get them out of the luggage rack"

"Luggage rack?" _What the?_

"Uh… yeah. Looks like they managed to piss…uh… annoy the heck out of some one"

At this point they'd reached the compartment that held the boys who Pansy had managed to get down from the racks.

"I'd say they managed to piss the hell out of more than one person" Tonks smiled at Blaise. Tonks performed a number of counter curses and helped the boys to their feet.

"What no thanks?" Tonks asked as the trio began to push past her. The two large set boys grunted at her while Draco sneered. "Why would we thank you?"

"Maybe I should just place a few of those hexes back on you and see how you get yourself out of the luggage rack" Tonks raised her eyebrow. Draco looked suitably alarmed "Uh.. no that's okay…. Thanks for the help" He pushed past her on to the platform. Tonks rolled her eyes she had a feeling this was going to be a very long summer.

**A/N** **You know my first chapter more or less wrote itself. This one however, every sentence was like getting blood from a stone. Hopefully the next one will be easier fingers crossed!**

**Blinknena182** Cheers for the review

**Strayct** I've tried to take on board your advice let me know how you think I'm doing. My English teacher used to tell me the same thing though.

**Steffi25** Hope you enjoy


	3. Draco

Nope not JK and neither was the last chapter 

Chapter 3 – Draco

1 July 1996

Draco Malfoy stormed off the Hogwarts Express. Just who did the pink-headed witch think she was? Demanding thanks from him. A Malfoy! As if! Harry flaming Potter had got him into this mess! The indignity! Having some sort of cleaner witch get him out of trouble! And now he had to go home with his aunt Andromeda, he had been hoping to get off the platform with her before any of his Slytherin friends saw but now they were the only ones left on the platform. Except of course that it didn't look like his aunt was there at all. Hmmm maybe this could work to his advantage. He needed to get rid of the others before they found out who he was spending his summer with, they would be disgusted. HE was disgusted. A Mudbloods' house – ugh! It was unacceptable, but he had no choice his aunt was his only relative not currently wanted by the ministry. Although, he pondered briefly, he was unaware of the ministry actually wanting his mother for any crimes, but they must do she wouldn't just abandon him would she? No he chastised himself sharply she wouldn't and he should stop thinking that way

"Draco, don't you think you were perhaps a bit harsh…."

"Look, Pansy, just back off okay, nobody asked you to stick around and look for me" He grimaced at the hurt look on his friends face "Sorry Pans, it's just…. well….. I've a lot on my mind right now"

"Yeah, about that. Your cousin says your staying with your aunt." Shock went coursed through Draco's blood, people knew his mother had abandoned … _left_ him. Deciding to attempt to distract Pansy from this aspect of his summer he tried.

"Cousin? Where?" Looking around the platform as though this was exactly what he had been expecting, he saw no one that he did not recognize in fact no one under the age of forty wearing clothes other than school robes was noticeable. He was taking note of Pansy's confused face when he heard the cleaner witch's voice.

"I'm right behind you Draco!" The pink haired witch was back with a grin. Quite an evil looking one too! Hmm this was not a good start to the holidays. Hadn't he just been quite rude to her? And how the hell was he going to explain a PINK haired cousin. Did marrying a mudblood make witches end up like this? Fluorescent hair and weird eyes, maybe it was just a reflection of the hair but he was sure that they were pink too! Was that even possible?

Pansy's head was swivelling between the Draco and his cousin. It appeared to her as though her friend had no idea that the pink haired witch was his cousin. While certainly the hair had thrown her when she'd first seen it she and Blaise had both realised while searching for Draco that they recognized the witch, having seen her once before, many years ago at Malfoy Manor, admittedly looking a lot more normal.

_July 2nd 1988 _

_Pansy was hiding behind a large oak tree that sttod in the gardens of Malfoy Manor. Blaise and Draco trying to find her during a marathon session of Hide'n'seek. She peeked around the curve of the tree to try and spot either of her friends when Blaise snuck up behind her. He tackled her to the ground and began to tickle her. _

"_Blaise, Blaise stop" She giggled at her friend, "Stop, that's beginning to hurt" Blaise stopped when they heard a yell from the patio. Shouting was not uncommon in the Malfoy household and Draco had told them earlier that all was not well. His sister had disappointed his father in some way he wasn't sure, he hadn't been told. Although all three of them knew that she hadn't come home as she had been supposed to the day before. Blaise and Pansy didn't know Katelyn Malfoy that well but she was always nice tothem when they met her. Draco had told them that she didn't really live at home any more. She preferred to spend her spare time at their cousins home even though this too was not approved off. Draco's aunt had married a mudblood! Pansy didn't understand how a beautiful pureblood witch like Katelyn Malfoy could prefer the company of people like that over her own family but there were a lot of odd things about her. After all she had been sorted into Gryffindor, the first Malfoy in the history of Hogwarts in the lion house. Blaise and Pansy had been slowly creeping towards the patio in order to observe what was going on there. Narcissa Malfoy was standing red in the face while another two witches one about the same age as Narcissa and the other a teenager faced her. _

"_How dare you come into my home and speak to me of my child in such a way!" Narcissa snapped at the two._

"_So you remember that you have a daughter then do you?" asked the older of the two witches_

"_Of course I remember, it will be a long time before I am able to forget the shame that she has brought on my family" Narcissa retorted_

"_She stood up for herself, that's not a bad thing Cissa!"_

"_Don't call me that! And of course it's a bad thing the girl had responsibilities to this family. But no! Instead of behaving herself and coming home to the wedding I have spent the last year preparing she shamed this family and returned to you….. It's all your fault anyway! Your influence on the girl! Refusing a perfectly good marriage that has been arranged for her for so long! And now too cowardly to come and face me! Had to send you to do her dirty work for her did she! I raised a spineless witch! Tell her I know what she did! Telling her father in public like that so that he couldn't discipline her the way she deserved! She's lucky he only cast the _Definio _on her. And she may think she can live without magic but something will happen mark my words and he'll have her back here and she WILL do as she is told and marry the Nott boy even if it's the last thing she does!"_

"_And if it is the last thing she does Cissa? What then? You know that Lucius would kill her as soon as she filled her part of the marriage contract for embarrassing him in this way"_

_Pansy caught Blaise's eye the fear she suspected was in her own eyes was being reflected back to her from her friends face. KILL. Would Draco's father be capable of these things? Somewhere deep down in the eight year olds soul she knew that Lucius Malfoy was capable of terrible things and this sudden realisation shocked and terrified her. _

Pansy jolted back from her memory of the day she had realised the danger of going against Lucius Malfoy. She and Blaise had found Draco just inside the patio door after his aunt and cousin had left. He had explained who the two witches were. It was the last time she had seen Draco cry and the last time he had spoken of his sister. Since then there had been no mention of Katelyn Malfoy. She was dead to her family and Pansy couldn't decide if she admired or pitied the Malfoy girl. She had gotten more of the story that evening from her older brother. Apparently Katelyn Malfoy had had the gall to fall in love with another wizard and wanted to only marry him and no one else. And even though her choice was a pure blood her father refused the match. Pansy had thought of her often over the years, especially since she had been informed of her own betrothal to Theodore Nott whom she did not love. But as she had not fallen for anyone he would do for her and so she would do her duty. She knew her mother was planning a wedding for the summer after her final year. Two years! Time was flying by! And from the look on his face Draco had stopped gaping at his cousin and begun talking to her. Pansy decided to tune back into reality before Draco said something else insulting and ended up hexed six ways from Sunday again.

"You" Draco's eyebrows were raised in disbelief "You're my cousin…. You can't be…. You're a pink headed freak is what you are!" From the way he was behaving Pansy knew that Draco was mortified for some reasonbut she couldn't help herself as she whacked him over the head for his rudeness

"The stuff that is going on in your life right now is not her fault" Pansy glared at him, making eye contact with her friend "I don't know everything that is going on with you right now because for some reason you've chosen not to trust me with it. But for the love of Merlin do not screw this up with your aunt. Something is happening with your parents isn't it?" She saw her mother moving over Draco's shoulder as he nodded "Look, now is not the time but we'll talk. Soon alright" She gave him a look that he knew not to argue with. She turned to Tonks.

"Miss Tonks, would it be alright if Blaise and I visited Draco over the summer?"

Tonks smiled at the girl who obviously was in some way able to control her cousin. I'm sure that it won't be a problem but my mum will have to have the final say. I'm sure Draco can owl you and let you know when is good to come over. Although with my mum he'll have to improve his manners before she lets him out of the house let alone have guests." Tonks smirked "And he can start by picking up his trunk and moving his arse to the floo connection. My mum is after all eagerly anticipating his arrival. Can't wait to reacquaint herself with her nephew apparently, so let's get moving"

Draco huffed, what was he a house elf! Why couldn't she levitate his trunk to the fireplace? _I bet Harry flaming Potter doesn't have to carry his own trunk anywhere. This summer is going to suck_

**T.A.F.FY-Rox92287** & **IlOvEdRaCo4EvEr46463**– Cheers both of you for the reviews

Anyone else reading sorry for the loooooooooong delay had uni exams and then intense classes and more exams but now I'm done with all that and just got my research project to do so hopefully the updates will become a little more regular.

Sorry though if this chapter felt rushed, couldn't get it to work properly but needed a Draco chapter. Hope it goes alright.

Also, I'm sorry to say I can no longer promise a Draco/ Hermione happy ever after I made the fatal (for that relationship) error of reading RogueSugah's "Price Of Love" which is a fantastic Ron/ Hermione story and it also sent me in the direction of while I was taking breaks from my studies. So we'll have to wait and see how the characters behave when I get into them.


	4. Harry

**A/N Nope not mine, otherwise Sirius wouldn't have died – honestly how much angst can this fifteen year old take – although I am trying to think of a convincing way to bring him back**

Chapter 4 – Harry 

2nd July 1996

Harry Potter was staring out the kitchen window of Number 4 Privet Drive washing his plate after breakfast and watching the rainfall. Seemed like nature was doing the crying he so desperately wanted to do. _Sirius' body falling so gracefully, so disturbingly gracefully, through the arch. Remus wrapped his arm around Harry preventing him from getting to Sirius. If he could just break free of Remus' grip, he would get to Sirius in time, he knew he could stop him. _He jumped back to the present as he felt the plate leave his grasp. His aunt had removed it from his grasp.

"Stop trying to remove the pattern" She sternly told him

He turned to look at her, almost willing her to insult him so that he could write to Moody and tell him he was being abused and have the Order come rescue him. Except that they wouldn't. He had to stay here. Indefinitely. Safely. Miserably.

Petunia Dursley was startled by the look in Harry's eyes such sorrow she had not seen in a long time not since her sister's last visit. Could it be that same fear again? She had ignored it the last time and now she paid the price. But two identical looks of sorrow in two identical sets of green eyes. Petunia remembered sitting at this kitchen table 15 years previously with someone with green eyes with as much sorrow as was now looking at her through her nephews' eyes. How could the boy have cause for such sorrow? She looked again. Boy. Despite how this was the manner in which Vernon constantly referred to him, she had forgotten. He was indeed a boy, a child, younger than Dudley, but yet the lines around his eyes made him look older. Older than his mother had ever looked and she had not been much older than Harry when she died.

"Sit" she told him. Confusion now clouded those eyes "SIT!" She ordered. "The last time I saw your mother," she began "we were sitting at this table." If she'd thought that the boy was confused moments before he was gobsmacked now. But she couldn't really blame him it wasn't as though she'd ever volunteered information about his mother before. "It wasn't long after your first birthday" she continued "and she was devastated with grief. She had discovered that your godmother had just been killed, tortured she told me, by him, Voldemort. She was stricken with grief, her eyes had this look," here she paused.

Harry couldn't get over what was happening. For years he had wanted to know things about his parents, and here finally his _Aunt Petunia_ was telling him things. Of course being his aunt she couldn't tell him a happy story, even one from their shared childhood, oh no, even she had to give tales of death and destruction. Did he have a sign on his forehead? _"Am depressed so tell me more sad stuff"_ On the other hand he had never thought about having a godmother, he had been so obsessed with Sirius and the hope he gave him.

"A look I'm now seeing in your eyes, Harry I'm concerned. What has happened?"

"Concerned! Concerned! Fifteen years I've lived here and _now_ you're concerned. I suppose in an odd way that's fitting. The one adult I depended on to get me out of this hell hole, who was going to find a home for us to live in has died and you _finally _choose to be concerned. What exactly gives you the right Aunt Petunia? You've ignored me for so long why the sudden change? Why? I don't want your concern. It's too late." Harry snapped. _How dare she? Pretending to care like this. What was going on? His world had been upside down in the ten days or so since Sirius had died but really, his aunt caring! Had Sirius falling through that veil caused the rest of the world to shift their opinion of him. The _Daily Prophet _believed him again and his Aunt Petunia was concerned. Perhaps this was Voldemorts' unique way of torturing him and so far he was the only one to notice._ He continued to stare vehemently across the table at his aunt, daring her to continue this intrusion into his life. What was she expecting to result from this little heart to heart that she was attempting to have? What did she really know of his life? _Either must die at the hand of the other._ He shook his head, he would _not _think of that now.

"He's still alive isn't he?" Petunia asked

"Huh?" Harry didn't understand the direction of this conversation at all.

"Voldemort, he's still alive isn't he, that's why I'm concerned. You're mother came to me the day your godmother died to ask me to look after you if something happened to her. She told me that if she died it would mean that he was dead, that you had defeated him, and that things would be safe. But he's not dead is he? He's still after you, and you're here. As such I am concerned." Harry gaped across the table at his aunt. _Is she for real? He wondered_

"You're mother told me that day a fanciful tale of nonsense some fortune teller had said that you would be the one to defeat Voldemort. A baby! Defeating an evil such as she described! But she was convinced that day, she believed that your godmother had been killed in an attempt to locate you apparently she and that awful boy were in hiding with you because Voldemort had heard tell that you could defeat him. She felt that the murder of your godmother confirmed that and as such she made me promise to take you in if she died. She swore to me that it would be safe no harm would come to us. And it didn't until last year – what will it be this year? I know your friends are worried they wouldn't have been confronted us at the station yesterday if they hadn't of been. Now tell me what is going on – everything. You probably know that I can't throw you out so there is no point in holding back. Your uncle is at work and your cousin is out – now tell me"

"Will you tell me more about my mother is I do?" Harry was desperate to hear something that would brighten his life. A life, which was dismal at the moment and possibly about to get worse with retelling the events of the last year.

"Yes I will. You know Harry it was obvious that last day that I saw her that she loved you very much."

A warm feeling spread over Harry with those words, if someone as cold as his aunt could recognize the love his mother had held for him then it must have been quite powerful. He then proceeded to tell his aunt of the events of the past twelve months including the news that people had not believed his tale of Voldemorts' return, the trial for the underage use of magic that had occurred when he had protected Dudley and himself from Dementors, Professor Umbridge, the DA, the attack on Mr Weasley, the interview he had given, peoples changing opinions and finally the night in the Department of Mysteries and Sirius death.

"Afterwards Professor Dumbledore brought me back to school and told me the wording of the prophecy, but you already know about that. I have to kill him. Become a murderer or be his victim"

"Stop that thinking right now or you will be a victim," his aunt slammed her hand to the table causing Harry to jump "that kind of pessimistic thought is what will get you killed. This man, if the word even applies, is out to kill you Harry and has been for the last sixteen years. Killing him won't be murder it will be self-defence. He's the murderer, he's killed your godmother, your parents and if your nightmares last year are any clue somebody called Cedric as well. They didn't die because of you they died because of him. He wanted to kill you _and _yours. Anything that would inflict pain on you is of benefit to him. I'm not telling you that you shouldn't feel pain and grief at the loss of these people from your life but you need to realise that their deaths are because of some madman. And his yearn for power. Your mother told me a little of him that day. He wants power and something I think she called 'blood purity' which to be honest didn't mean a thing to me."

"A pureblood is someone who has all magic ancestors, like my friends the Weasleys' then there are muggleborns who have no magic" at this Harry glanced at his aunt and saw no wince that previously occurred when the 'm' word was mentioned "parents like my friend Hermione and then there's people whose parents are a mixture of muggles and magic."

"I see. About your friends, are you…. Um … I don't know…. I thought I sensed some sort of guilt or…. I'm not sure…. When you spoke of the night at the Department of Mysteries"

"Well they all got injured didn't they and that was my fault"

"Did you hurt them Harry?"

"No, but if they hadn't followed me…."

"Did you force them to follow you" his aunt cut him off

"Well no they chose to come with me"

"Yes they made the choice to go with you, a decision they made knowing that there was a possibility that Voldemort would be there. And I presume if they are all like you and are your friends they are all aware of the things that he is capable of are they not?"

"Well yes but…."

"But nothing Harry, don't demean their friendship with you by debasing the actions they do in the name of friendship. Perhaps you should show them that you appreciate that they would not allow you to face him alone. After all if Professor Dumbledore thinks that the reason that you were able to stop Voldemort from possessing you is because of the love you felt for your godfather don't you think that you should nurture the loving friendships you have. They may prove to be a valuable weapon and as such should not be shunned."

"But they could get killed by being around me. You must see it the pattern Voldemort has of going after those that are close to be in his effort to get to me."

"They know these risks, and I don't get the impression that they will leave you to face him alone no matter how you push them away. You've had enough horrible things happen to you, and yes I know that a lot of them have been because of me, but you should grab happiness when you can you never know when it might be gone. I laughed at your mother and her worries that day, belittled her fears over you and her. I'd always intended to apologise for the way I had reacted to finding out she was a witch and I never got the chance. Things happen Harry that are completely out of our control. You should live life in the moment. Don't worry about the things that might go wrong but, and I know this might not be the most compassionate thing to say to someone who has cheated death as often as you seem to have, you should perhaps learn to live each day as your last. If you are right and a war is going to start in your world then you have to face a reality that people are going to die. People you know already have and I'm sorry to tell you that they may not be the last. My father fought in the second world war and of the four friends that joined up together he was the only one to survive. I'm not trying to depress you more but war is lethal and a little realistic knowledge affecting the decisions you make would be no bad thing. Now how about a cup of tea while I tell you some stories about your mother? I afraid we weren't close while we were teenagers but I can tell you about a few things from when we were small.

Harry nodded and returned to his thoughts while his aunt but together some tea and biscuits. His friends, particularly Ron and Hermione, had had a rough time of it last year, not only had they been the most seriously injured in the Department of Mysteries, but they had also borne the brunt of his anger over Cedric's death and the subsequent gossip about his mental stability. And they had stood by him when others hadn't. Yes they deserved apologies, in person, just like his anger had been, and he would have to tell them about the prophecy. When they got back together again they would sit down and talk properly again in a way that he had been too preoccupied to in the last year. But for now his aunt was beginning a story his mother and he had waited too long to hear something like this, but he would write to Ron and Hermione later and let them know he was doing okay.

**Hey there, am not sure if Petunia is exactly how I want her to be, I intended to have her questions be more selfish, she is the only one in the Dursley house with a notion of the evilness of Voldemort and then she turned out to be compassionate… don't think that this will happen in canon but it's where my fingers typed her to be… There'll be more later on who Harry's godmother was**.

**Gingerbed** I'm hoping to have Draco back to his sarcastic self in later chapters – although there will be a couple before you see him again. But here I was trying to convey that he was a teenager out of his depth, going to stay with relatives he doesn't know. Later we'll see that there has been no contact in quite some time. And I'm going to try and slowly have Harry come out of his spoiled brat stage with his friends (did I manage to hint at that here?) – as I hope JK will too.

**Ghosette** Thanks – have a happy glow on the inside now. Draco is tough to write though hopefully as I get more into it and his character as I (and you) want him to be it will get easier.


	5. Ron

**A/N Nope not mine – sorry. Hope that Ron's thought while degnoming are understandable**.

Chapter 5 Ron

_3rd July 1996_

Ronald Weasley was resting his head against the table, it was way too early to be up but his mum had insisted, apparently the gnomes in the garden were getting out of hand again. Although as to why he had to deal with them when one of his older brothers was home visiting and another three kept popping in and out for meals was beyond him. Between them surely they could have kept the little buggers at bay. If he wanted to get out of doing the chore he could mention that his arms were killing him but then he would have to take the look of disapproval on his mothers' face. Since he and Ginny had come home his mother had alternated between fussing over them and sternly telling them that they were children and shouldn't be meddling in the affairs of adults. It was driving him crazy. He was sixteen and whether she liked it not he knew he was going to be at the centre of this war. He couldn't be Harry Potter's best friend and not be. And as he had no intention of stopping being Harry's friend there was no escaping the fact that he was going to be a target. Hell! There whole family was, regardless of the fact that they were all in the Order, Lucius Malfoy had for whatever reason hated them for as long as he could remember. As far as he knew Malfoy had spent the last decade blocking any chances of his dad getting a promotion.

As Ron moved on to his second helping of breakfast and the fourth round of toast an owl flew in the window and landed on the back of Ginny's chair.

"From Dean is it?"

"No why would it be?"

"Well, he is your new boyfriend isn't he?"

"No why would…. You didn't think I was serious on Monday did you? On the train home?"

"Course I did, why wouldn't I? Were you lying to me?"

"Crikey Ron, I just said that to shut you up. You were being about as subtle as a brick trying to hint to me that I should go out with Harry. I think if I'd jumped him right there you would've been teaching us contraceptive charms while herding the others out the door"

"Ginevra Weasley, that's enough of talk at the breakfast table"

"But mum, he was embarrassing me on the train, hinting and me and Harry like that when he knows that I've given up on Harry – a long time ago Ron and anyway, he doesn't look at me that way so stop encouraging something that is not going to happen."

"I notice that you keep saying that you've given up on Harry not that you've stopped liking him."

"Why don't you leave me alone to sort out my own love life and fuss over your own? Oh I forgot – you still don't have one!"

"Shut it Ginny"

"Ronald Weasley, you will not speak to your sister that way. If you can't take some teasing from your siblings you shouldn't be dishing any. And leave her alone about boys and get out there and start degnoming"

"Boys, Ginny what boys? Ron haven't you warned them off already?" Charlie had appeared at the kitchen door.

"Oy! Don't you dare Ron! If and when I want to date someone I will and if you interfere – any of you" with a steely glance in Charlie's direction "I'll hex you so bad that you'll wish I'd used a Bat-Bogey on you and I'm sure Malfoy can let you know how pleasant those are"

"Leave your sister alone, it's not like you were never friendly with fourteen year old girls, Charles"

"Yeah when I was fourteen, how old are is this Dean guy I heard about?"

"What! Ron! Have you been blabbing?"

"Fred and George asked me about Michael and I admitted that this time at least it was a Gryffindor" her brother protested.

"Ron you can't judge everyone by their house you know!"

"Don't start, I get this lecture from Hermione you know!"

"Well she's right, after all Luna's not so bad is she?"

"She's loony, Gin!"

"Don't call her that! She's just different – and besides she came with us didn't she, to the De…," her voice faded as she incurred a glare from her mother that could have melted iron with its' intensity and decided to follow Ron's example and start shovelling some eggs into her mouth so that she couldn't stick her foot in her mouth. As their mother hovered over the stove again preparing Charlie's breakfast.

"Mum's right you know." Charlie told his siblings

"You went out with fourteen year old girls?" Ron asked blandly, hoping to divert the conversation away from the real topic. His brothers had been attempting to have a "heart–to–heart" with him since they'd got home from school on Monday and after dodging them for the past thirty six hours he had a feeling Charlie was now going to take the opportunity to berate him. He and Bill did not appear to be impressed that Ginny had ended up in the Ministry with him the previous week. Fred and George at least appeared to have some semblance of an idea that Ginny had a mind of her own. But the glares that he had been getting on the odd occasion that the whole fiasco came up while in Bill and Charlie's company told him he was getting a talking to. His brothers still though Ginny was an infant. And if he thought that the talking to he'd gotten in Egypt was intense, he had a feeling that this one was going to be worse as he was currently Ginny's only sibling at school.

"No, smartass," came Charlie's retort "about the Department of Mysteries. Neither of you should have been there, and even if you insist on being an idiot and following Harry wherever he feels he has to go the rest of us would appreciate it if you didn't drag our baby sister along with you"

"I didn't drag her anywhere!" Ron answered quietly, trying not to attract the attention of their mother as she cracked an egg over the frying pan. "I wanted her to stay in Hogwarts, but she forced herself along for the ride, literally, on a thestral. I couldn't of stopped her." Ron gave an involuntary shudder as he recalled the weirdness of riding on an unseen animal. And he didn't want to see one any time soon, definitely. He did not want to see someone die.

"I make my own decisions, Charlie," Ginny had now stood from her seat and leaned across the table at Charlie, "about boys and the fights I choose to pick. Sirius was our friend – did you even meet him? So back off and leave me alone I'm not the seven year old I was when you went off to tend dragons. Ron and I have both managed to do some growing up since then. Perhaps it's time you and Bill noticed that" In a louder voice for their mother to hear as she approached the table with Charlie's breakfast.

"I'm going to head upstairs and reply to Emma's letter since her owl is still here. I wouldn't want to inflict Pig on anyone."

"Okay dear," replied their mother, "there you go Charlie. It's nice to have you home son now eat up. Ron, you must be done at this stage, the earlier you start in the garden, the earlier you'll be finished."

"Yeah mum, I'll start now."

"Hey Ron," Ginny called over the banisters, "give me a shout when you're done, will you and we can play a little Quidditch."

"Sure Ginny," he called back as he placed his plate in the sink and headed out the door. There were times Ron decided that having five older brothers was more trouble than it was worth. _**Ah there's a gnome**. _And having only one sister was _definitely_ more trouble than it was worth. Except that wasn't very fair to Ginny. **_Fling._** It wasn't her fault that Bill and Charlie still saw her as a five year old. He had tried to protect her and stop her coming with them. **_And another. _**She was after all family and the sibling that he was closest to. But he knew in a way that perhaps the others didn't that the events of her first year had changed her. **_Fling. Here came a bunch out of their holes. _**There was an inner steel to her that hadn't always been there. It was one of the reasons he'd agreed to let her come to the Ministry. He'd hoped that in rescuing someone else from He-Who-Mu.. _ah come on Ron, at least think it to yourself._ He took a deep breath. Voldemort. **_Fling. Crikey that must have been twenty feet. _**If they'd saved Sirius from it had been Ron's hope that Ginny would see what others had been telling her for years, that older and wiser wizards _Does wiser apply to Sirius?_ Could be fooled by _deep breath_ Voldemort **_FLING _**and that she needn't feel guilty anymore. But instead they'd all been fooled. Harry had been fooled and Sirius had died. While Ginny did not seem to have been particularly affected the fact that she had stood up to Charlie at breakfast spoke volumes. He'd have a chat with her later while they played Quidditch and apologise for that thing on the train with Harry. He just wanted her to be happy. He wanted Harry to be happy too. **_Fling. _**Although that wish might be longer coming. Another school year had ended and another death had occurred**_ fling _**and while he loved Harry as another brother he just didn't know how to attempt to cope with Harry's grief. How did you comfort your best friend when the nearest thing they had to a father had died? **_FLING. _**He remembered how afraid he had been at Christmas while waiting for news of his dad. It was for this reason that he could not blame Harry for what had the Ministry disaster he'd been right before, why not about Sirius as well. **_Fling. _**They were at war now and Sirius was dead, **_FLING _**there would be others but Sirius was first. _Actually_, Ron thought, _Cedric was first but I didn't know him well. _And look how guilty Harry still felt about that, how on earth was he coping with Sirius' death? Ron decided that he would write to Harry and remind him they were family of a sort and that he wasn't really alone. **_Fling. _**He'd have to write to Hermione as well and see how she was getting on. See if she had any ideas about things they could do to make sure Harry realised that he was not as alone as he would no doubt be feeling. **_Fling._** He also wanted to see how things had gone with her parents. He'd nearly keeled over in shock when she admitted that her parents knew nothing of the impending war – or the danger she faced. **_Fling._** They'd been sitting in the hospital wing recovering from their injuries and she'd told him that since second year she hadn't told her parents of any of the dangers they'd faced. **_Fling_** Apparently, once they'd found out that she'd spent several weeks petrified by a giant snake they had not been enthusiastic about her attending Hogwarts. She'd spent that summer convincing them that it had been a one off and giant snakes were as unusual in the world of magic as they were in the muggle world that had resulted in her being allowed back to school. **_Fling._** Hermione, not wanting to go through the hassle of it all again, had decided not to tell her parents about the fact that in their third year they had though a murderer was after Harry, or that in their fourth year a Death Eater had tried to kill Harry while teaching them all in school. Or even that _deep breath_ Voldemort was back. **_FLING. _**She confessed that she hadn't even told them who Voldemort was. They knew nothing about an impending war and she was going home this summer to ease them into the idea so that they wouldn't totally freak out. **_Fling._** In which case she'd warned him that it might be August before she'd be able to come visit. **_Fling._** He remembered her cheeks had flushed as she said this apologising for just inviting herself to his home. According to her a frown had crossed his face when she'd invited herself, what she hadn't realised was that he was upset about not seeing her until August and hastily brushed aside her worries by telling her that while she was always welcome at the Burrow, he wasn't sure yet if that's where they'd be spending their holidays and she'd best stay in touch. **_Fling._** He remembered lying awake that night watching her sleep. Something had changed in him he realised that night. There was something different about Hermione. **_Fling. _**He'd been out of sync with himself since awaking in the hospital wing and the discussion with Hermione had brought the world back into focus. His view of her had changed. **_Fling. _**He hadn't wanted her to go with them to the Ministry anymore than he had Ginny, but for totally different reasons. He had urges to wrap Hermione in a blanket and hide her from the world, from the evil that was Draco Malfoy, **_Fling,_** the madness that was _deep breath_ Voldemort, **_FLING_** and the Quidditch greatness that was Victor Krum **_FLING!_** It had been there on a skinny bed in the Hospital Wing, gazing at his best friend in the moonlight that he's realised that he'd fallen in love with her. _When did that happen?_ He still couldn't figure it out. **_Fling._** Sure she was his friend so he was supposed to like her _but love? _Then he thought of how he might of reacted if she'd been the one to die that night and suddenly he'd been having trouble breathing. And that had been it, he knew it was love because the future without Hermione in it was bleak, **_fling _**and then when, in order to cheer himself back up, he'd imagined it with her in it he'd smiled as he closed his eyes and there she was on the day of their graduation, and again in a wedding dress and again with bushy red headed kids. He'd nearly fallen off the bed. **_Fling. _**Kids! His kids! And Hermione's! And the shock was that the thoughts had been so natural, not surprising in the slightest when he'd had them. **_Fling._** In the week between that night and the end of school when he had consciously thought of being attracted to her, he hadn't been able to act normal around Hermione. She was still his friend, one of his two best friends, but yet when he'd watched her write a letter to Victor Krum as they passed an afternoon in the Hospital Wing he'd had resist a very strong impulse to rip the letter to shreds and kiss her. **_FLING!_** But he knew he could never compare to Krum. _Vicky is an international Quidditch player how can I compare to that? Maybe I can talk to Ginny and she can tell me if girls really like the famous guys._ But of course Ron knew they did, look how girls flocked around Harry, **_fling_** he'd even had girls ask him to the Yule Ball last year, girls that didn't even know him other than the fact that he was The Boy Who Lived. While Ron was jealous of Harry in some respects he had recently realised that Harry was just as jealous of aspects of Ron's life. There had been a look in his eye that in Kings Cross, a disbelief that people had turned up to support him. Ron took for granted that his brothers would support him, **_fling_** except for Percy _git _and since breakfast Charlie _what was the idea of calling me an idiot?** Last one – fling.** _He'd definitely have to write Harry a letter, a decent one for once and get on his mum's case about getting Harry away from those relatives of his and perhaps if he could catch Harry in a goodish mood he could talk – vaguely – about Hermione. He headed back towards the house dying for a shower, the shirt her was wearing was rubbing against his newest scars in the most annoying way and a shower and a fresh dollop of Dr. Ubbly's Unction and he'd be set for some Quidditch practise and a chat with Ginny. How was it he mused that with five older brothers he was to talk to his sister and his best mate for advice on girls. But then he couldn't go to the twins without getting ridiculed, Percy was out of the question, Charlie…well they had their thoughts about Charlie… they'd never heard him even talk about a girl while growing up and Bill had been lured in by a half Veela. His brothers he decided as he reached the bathroom for a shower after the degnoming, were useless when it came to girls.

Twenty minutes and a hot shower later, Ron was redressed and writing his letter to Harry. He'd turned the content of it over in his head during his shower and had decided on its' content. He dressed and sat at his desk.

_Dear Harry_

_How are you? Crikey that sounds like the most idiotic thing I've ever asked, but, when you are ready I do want to know. I suppose I really just want you to know that I'm here to listen, well read, and whenever you're ready to talk about the things that are going on I'll be ready. But I did want to make sure that you know you are not alone in the world although I'm sure being back with the muggles it sure seems that way. But remember mate, you ARE my best friend and as good as family better in fact. Definitely when compared to Percy – git! Apparently there has been no word from him despite the Ministry agreeing that they were in the wrong over the last year. And the others, well they're all giving me a hard time about Ginny coming with us to the Ministry, like I could've stopped he. I mean you were there, she's a force to be reckoned with Ginny is. Honestly, I'm convinced Bill and Charlie still think that she's five or something. At least she is, in her own weird way, defending me – and herself, but if magic was allowed outside of school there would be a serious amount of Bat Bogeys flying around the place. _

_I'm sure Mum is already badgering Dumbledore that you be allowed to come stay with us. Hope you can I know Charlie is dying to play you in Quidditch you know he wants to see if he can beat you to the snitch. I've told him you can and he's being a bit of a prat now, don't know if that's the Seeker thing or what. He's been a bit off since we got back from school. Did you know he was undefeated when he played in school no other seeker ever beat him._

_Write back soon, I'll try and keep you updated on any news I hear about things here. _

_Ron_

He snatched Pig from the circle he was flying around the room and tied the letter to his leg, before he read back over it and changed his mind about sending it. It felt very sappy and emotional, but he had to attempt to get through to Harry on some level. He stood and watched Pig fly off with the letter. His stomach rumbled. _Damn, _he thought, _I should've asked Harry if they were feeding him. _He'd send some food with the next letter regardless of whether Harry actually mentioned being hungry and then he'd try and set something up with Pig if Harry's muggle relatives weren't feeding him properly. He was busy planning how to feed Harry when he wandered into the living room to find four of his five brothers waiting for him. Uh oh, this did not look good. Shite, they were going to kill him for not stopping Ginny from going to the Ministry. Where was she anyway? Hang on she was on the couch and rather than looking angry as he expected she looked peaceful and rested? What had they done to her?

"No need to panic Ronniekins," a twin told him, _easy for him to say_ Ron thought _he knows what this is about._

"We've decided," Bill told him, "that something needs to be done," _Uh oh_ "about Percy." Ron let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. They weren't going to kill him, not today anyway.

"We're going to see him Saturday morning," the other twin said, "to try and talk some sense into him."

The door to the kitchen opened. Molly Weasley stood in the doorway casting a glance over her offspring, they were plotting, but seeing as how they were plotting together she'd let it be for now until she could figure more out she just had to find out which one would be easiest to crack.

"What are you all doing in her lunch is on the table, now move along."

Ron let his brothers go ahead of him to the kitchen, hanging back to speak with Ginny, slightly alarmed by her calm look. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm fine," she assured him, "I think I've sorted Charlie out, for now anyway."

"You sure, you're looking very, I dunno, calm, that's not right."

"I'm looking forward to getting our family back to normal Ron, aren't you?"

"Ginny, after the letter he wrote…"

"Look, give him a chance to explain Ron, please, for me" She gave him that look, the one she knew he couldn't resist.

"Sure, sis, for you…. And mum… maybe I can still knock some sense into him before we leave his flat though. Do I smell mum's apple tart?"

He didn't want to discuss this proposed intervention just yet, he needed a chance to think about it and decide how he wanted to treat Percy, he could still remember segments of the hurtful letter that Percy had written to him months ago. And while he missed having decent chess competition, he didn't know if he would be able to forgive Percy. Still he had three days to think about how he wanted to handle the situation and what he would do.

**Well that's it, the longest chapter yet, and one of the easiest to write, which probably means it's terrible – feel free to agree.**

**Tantotop** Thanks for the review – did Harry come across bratty in the last chapter? Am trying to combine a selfish "why do I have to kill the baddie" Harry and grieving "people who help me die" Harry, hopefully in time you'll see some character development but I can't promise bratty Harry going away straight away, he'll pop in for a reality check now and then later on.

**Ghostette **blushing I want to keep Petunia as the cold, unloving character and the next time we see Harry, he's going to reflect a little on that. Thanks for the great review hope your own story is ticking along in the works, I really enjoyed the first couple of chapters.

**Next up is the visit to Percy. Let's see if he comes to his senses. Well I already know of course, you all will have to wait and see.**


	6. Ginny

A/N Nope not mine – sorry 

**Chapter 6: Ginny**

_6th July 1996_

The following Saturday Ginny Weasley awoke to the sun streaming through her window. She rolled over to look at her clock; it was only six in the morning. "_Damn forgot to close the curtains, I'll never get back to sleep now." _Enjoying the warm fuzziness of her blankets around her she let her mind wander over the events of the past few days, the coming day and her brothers. Ron seemed to be finally getting a clue about Hermione, the chat they had had over Quidditch earlier in the week had been enlightening and made her realise how Ron had, in some ways at least, grown up without her noticing. While she wasn't supposed to have favourites among her brothers Ron and Bill had always been special. Ron because he was the closest in age and he too knew the difficulty in growing up last in a large family and Bill because he would stick up for her when she was growing up. Although that seemed to be changing she'd noticed an overbearing aspect of his personality in the few days she'd been home from school. But with girls maturing faster than boys and the events of her first year she'd always felt as though she had grown up faster than Ron and, while to a certain extent that might be true he wasn't as far behind her as she liked to believe. Once he'd degnomed the garden earlier in the week they'd gotten their brooms and taken off for the paddock. After only an hours play Ron had asked if they could talk and while she'd suggested they move to the ground he'd explained he didn't want the twins to overhear with their Extendables or whatever they had invented now. She'd braced herself, expecting him to finally have a go at her about the trip to the Ministry. While he'd hesitated for a minute or two, she'd managed to work herself into a temper. She recalled how angry she'd been with him.

_"I can't believe you Ron_, _I thought you were different, I thought you'd realised I wasn't seven anymore. But oh no, the Weasley brothers must unite when it comes to 'protecting' their sister. As if I can't look after myself. Yes, I was manipulated before, but I'm not going to fall for that again. And I did try and fight Tom and his diary, I really did and I might have succeeded if Harry hadn't found it after I threw it away, I really might of. But I knew by then that something wasn't right about it so I couldn't leave it with him. But don't you DARE baby me because of a mistake I made when I was eleven. That mistake gives me as much right to fight Voldemort if not more, so stop trying to talk me out of fighting at your side." She'd begun to turn back to the house when Ron had told her._

_"I was going to apologize for the train."_

She remembered she'd frozen with the sense of having just done something incredibly stupid. She recalled she'd then uttered the most coherent sentence known to womankind as she looked back over her shoulder at him.

_"Huh?"_

_"You know the whole hinting at Harry thing." He'd explained. "I'm sorry I just want you to go out with someone who'll treat you well and I think Harry is that person for you. But at the end of the day that's a decision you'll need to make for yourself and I won't interfere….much. I'll probably have an opinion or two along the way."_

_"Oh!" _Yes, she'd been very intelligent in speech that day. _"Thanks Ron…. Um sorry for, you know, blowing up at you."_

_"Don't worry about it. I thought you'd sorted Charlie out?"_

_"Yeah, look don't worry too much about Charlie. I think he's still coming round to the idea that we've had the cheek to grow up on him, he hasn't been home since the World Cup and a lot has happened since then, he didn't even meet Sirius, let alone know he was a good guy."_

_"I know. I just hate it when they baby is and yes," he'd rolled his eyes at her "I know I do it to you too."_

_"I hate it as well and Ron you baby me the least, well, recently that is I honestly thought that you'd put up more of a fight about me going to the Ministry."_

_Ron had looked at her guiltily. "Well I was going to but then I realized that if you saw another older, wiser wizard had been tricked then you'd understand that you weren't a silly girl back when you started school. I know that sometimes you think that even though you also know that that's not true and well I wanted that for you." _She remembered that her eyes had begun to moisten as he said those things, she'd also realised that her brother had begun to mature, _thank goodness_ and reached out for a hug.

_"Thanks Ron."_

_"You know Gin" as he withdrew from her embrace "war is starting and…well….I can't promise I'll forgive him , he was such a git about Harry but I will try and be civil to Percy when we go to see him. I know mum would appreciate it."_

_"You've done that a couple of times now" at the puzzled look that his face now wore it took all her energy not to giggle at him but explained "called me Gin. What's with that?"_

_"Well Ginny is well…. It's a bit babyish isn't it and I know that you are growing up and well I wanted to let you know that I meant what I said about you know about accepting that"_

_"You're growing up Ron, to be a brother I might just manage to be proud of one day" _She was sure the grin on her face had let him know she was teasing.

_"Yeah, dunno how I'll ever be proud of a sister like you. Picking my roommates to pretend to go out with."_

_"Better than pretending not to like someone you do," she had shot back at him_

_"Like Harry?"_

_"Like Hermione!"_

The stunned look on Ron's face had told her that he had finally figured out his feelings for his female best friend. Realising this she realised she had to make sure to be supportive, Ron's self confidence was almost zero, she had to make him believe he could do this. Once she figured out what it was he wanted to do about the situation. Meanwhile Ron had been stuttering.

_"What?… How?… Why?… Um…How on earth? I mean what makes you think? Oh crap have I been that obvious? Do you think she noticed? The last week of school was torture! And it's all so pointless she'll never like me that way, after all she has Vick – giant Bulgarian git."_

_"Hey there, he's just her friend."_

_"Yeah, well then what am I? An acquaintance? I'm not good enough for her anyway. He could give her anything she wanted. He must be rolling in it. Quidditch National team player at 17 and then there's me. Youngest of six boys. Hand me down everythings' – except for my broom, which is no good as she doesn't even like flying. Best friend to the Boy Who Lived, the sidekick, stuck in the shadows. And while I wouldn't change any of that Gin I just wish I could be seen as me Ron Weasley, rather than just another red headed Weasley."_

_"Ron you're plenty good enough for Hermione. You've shared experiences, you're best friends. Anyone who cares that we dress in hand me downs isn't worth knowing anyway, never mind wasting the effort caring what they think about us. You're just as much of a hero as Harry is and people do notice you for you. There were girls in my year who hoped you'd ask them to the ball."_

_"There were? But…. I never noticed. I saw girls asking Harry but no one ever…"_

_"Threw themselves at you like they did Harry. I pity him sometimes, people think that just because he is famous he's not like the rest of us, you know a teenager whose hormones leave them all over the place. Besides you weren't paying girls much attention then were you?"_

_"Well no, I was trying to figure out how to ask Hermione to the ball – as a friend nothing else. I wasn't attracted to her then. I mean, up until I had that falling out with Harry I thought she was only being my friend because of Harry but then she talked to me just as much as she did him and I wanted to let her know that I appreciated the effort she made. Trying to make me see that he hadn't entered his name into that cup was really good of her. I was such an idiot that year. Fourteen must have been the most stupid I've ever been. Just after my birthday was that major row with Hermione over Scabbers and then no sooner are we back at school I row with Harry. I'm a rotten friend. I should've trusted them both. Why is it Ginny that I would've protected both of them from anything but I couldn't trust them? Sorry I'm rambling like an idiot"_

_"A bit yeah." _She recalled that that moment was the closest she'd felt to Ron in a long time. They'd been close as youngsters before he'd gone to Hogwarts but then when she'd joined him he didn't want her traipsing round after him. All of a sudden he was treating her like she was a baby the way her other brothers did. That feeling of aloneness after all her day dreams of becoming friends with Harry Potter and her inability to make friends in her own year had led her to put her trust in the diary and Tom more than she should've. A shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the events of her first year as it always did when she thought back. She shook off the chill that always seemed to envelop her when she thought back to her first year and instead remembered her advice to her older brother.

" Ron, I think the only thing that you can do is talk to them and tell them what you think, let them know that you care, that you don't mean to be a fair-weather friend, but that sometimes you can be immature – I'm sure that they have their moments too." 

_"Thanks Gin, I'll try my best, I've already sent a letter to Harry letting him know. I'll write one to Hermione too."_

To the best of her knowledge that letter had still to be written. She knew that there had been several attempts but nothing had yet been sent. She giggled to herself, boys were funny sometimes, denying that they even had feelings. She'd learned a long time ago not to suggest to Ron that he might feel anything. Hermione had him pegged right – teaspoon indeed, although perhaps he'd matured enough to be as deep as a teacup now.

The warm fuzzy feelings of her bed were starting to dissipate and she figured that the best thing to do would be to get up for a shower before Ron beat her to it, that way she'd be down to breakfast first and get her pick of the sausages. She stumbled up the stairs to the next landing and the shower. The nice thing about so many brothers not living at home any more was that there was more hot water to go around in the mornings and nothing woke he up like a good hot shower. And she was going to need to be awake today if they were going to visit Percy, if only to ensure that nothing came to blows although if there wasn't a restriction on underage use of magic she knew she'd be likely to throw a Bat-Bogey Hex or two around the place. She was tempted sometimes to knock some sense into Charlie. He blamed himself for what happened during her first year, but had always been vague as to why. She knew it had something to do with a girl, but as far as she knew Draco Malfoy was an only child so it couldn't have anything to do with a Malfoy girl, she had in the past turned over the idea that perhaps Lucius had had a younger sister and that was who this mysterious girl was but her dad had told her that Lucius Malfoy was an only child as well. But she clearly remembered Charlie pulling her aside while on their family holiday in Egypt and saying he was to blame for making Katelyn Malfoy break her engagement, there was more to the story she was sure but she couldn't get anything out of her older brothers on the subject. Only Bill and Percy had been at school with Charlie and when she'd asked them about it individually during trips around pyramids Bills' face had hardened to one of anger and asked her not to ask about it and Percys' had been one of pure anguish and just told her that they were two people who had loved each other very much but were much too stubborn for their own good and not to ask Charlie about it as he was still upset over it all. She'd tried earlier in the week to get him to talk about because she could see that he was still tying himself up in knots about her getting in danger and thought that it was all rooted back in this part of his life. But nope all she could get out of him was that he'd given his heart away and in turn broken the heart of the girl he loved and endangered his sister, then he'd clammed up. She tried to let him know that it wasn't his fault Lucius Malfoy was evil and it wouldn't have mattered what Charlie may or may not have done in the past Malfoy would still have passed the diary to someone. He'd obviously been lurking round Flourish and Blotts just waiting to sneak the diary to someone and then opportunity had presented itself when the younger Malfoy and Harry met up and the ensuing fisticuff session between her dad and Malfoy. That and she had been stupid enough to ignore her dad's lifelong advice to never trust something whose brain you couldn't see. But for some reason Charlie felt that he had to hold all the blame for what had happened within himself. She only hoped she could get through to him before it twisted him up on in the inside.

By this time she was wandering down the stairs for breakfast and wondering how as the youngest of seven children she seemed to spend so much time worrying about her elder brothers. First Ron, then Charlie and later they were going to try and sort out Percy. She missed him. The family worrywart, just wanting them all to do their best that they could. He'd kept a protective eye over all of them while he was at school letting him know that he was there if they wanted him. But she hadn't she'd wanted her friendship with Ron back. But enough of this dwelling on the past she'd been at it all morning, she was past all this she knew, but for some reason it just kept coming back to her today.

"Morning mum, breakfast smells yum." Her mum smiled up at her from the stove.

"Morning love, sleep well?"

"Like a log, any sign of Ron yet?"

"You know your brother, I doubt we'll see him before 11"

"I'm not so sure this morning mum," Ginny said as she dished her sausages and bread to her plate "Bill said he wanted to get an early start on the day if he was taking us to Diagon Alley. Probably because it's a Saturday doesn't want to get caught up in the crowds with the pair of us in tow."

"Hmmmm…. As to why you'd even want to go and see this _shop_ of your brothers."

"Mum" Ginny sighed "Shouldn't you be proud that they've succeeded to do something that they are good at? What's wrong with their shop? Can you honestly say that you can see them in a Ministry job? Or even working for someone other than themselves? Sure they didn't leave school a conventional way but when have they ever done anything conventionally? Besides Mum they are my brothers can't I go see them from time to time?"

Molly Weasley gaped at her daughter, as much as she hated to admit it her daughter had a point there twins were not cut out to take orders from anyone. The only person they were properly afraid of was her and she wouldn't be following them around for the rest of their lives.

"Of course you can go see them Ginny, they are your brothers and I suppose I just wish that they had finished school and talked a bit more seriously about this to your father and me before they started."

"But mum did you want to listen to them? They've been planning this for two years, since before the World Cup."

"Yes dear, but honestly who would think that they were serious about such a thing?"

"Mum, the twins and jokes. The only thing they are serious about is jokes."

At that moment Bill Weasley apparated into the kitchen thus breaking the small amount of tension beginning to build between mother and daughter.

"Morning all. Nearly ready to go?"

"I am," Ginny told him, "but I think you'll have to yank Ron out of bed to get him going."

"I'm up, I don't think I'm awake but I'm up. Food, shower and I should be ready to go in half an hour Bill."

"Make sure it's only half an hour Ron I've a lot to be getting on with today."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Yes actually, some of us have social lives that do not revolve around chaperoning their younger siblings around shops."

"Hear that Ron," Ginny grinned, "Bill has a _social_ life. I'm sure the lovely Miss. Delacouer is anxiously awaiting his arrival somewhere."

"Stuff it munchkin." Bill flicked a sausage across the table to his sister.

"Enough, honestly, I'd swear you were all toddlers. And tell me William when is it that I am going to meet this young lady of yours."

"But you did mum, she was the Beauxbatons champion during the Tri-Wizard," smiled Ginny

"A schoolgirl!"

"She's finished school mum, she works for Gringotts now. And she is _not _my young lady! I gave her some English lessons last year, explaining some of the technical terms the bank uses, that's it. She must be ten years younger than me. Ron shouldn't you be getting to the shower." Bill turned to his younger brother to find him already gone.

"Nice try at changing the subject, Bill, but Ron is long gone. Shame for you."

"Ginny leave your brother alone."

"But mum there's no fun in life if I can't tease them."

Ten minutes more of bantering and warnings from her mum to Bill about not letting Ron and Ginny out of his sight meant that it wasn't Ron holding them up on their trip to Diagon Alley.

"Will you have them back for lunch Bill? Charlie said he'd be out and I was wondering if it would just be your father and I at home."

"Yeah mum, I'll treat them to lunch in the Leaky Cauldron before I drop them back."

And with that they were away through the floo network.

**A/N Well that's it for Ginny has been really difficult to write. You'd think the fact that I was once a fifteen year old girl turning sixteen would make her easier to write but no. The next chapter is going to be form her point of view as well. But shouldn't take as long to get out. I had real life issues to deal with in the last while as well. Including getting diagnosed with an underactive thyroid which thankfully explained why I've been so lethargic for the last while – and possibly why I haven't felt like writing. So hopefully I'll get into the routine I want of a chapter every fortnight. Hope you all enjoyed this one. Even if I think it's a bit off**

**Gingerbed **Cheers for the review. Glad you liked Harry. Well as you can see Ron won't forgive Percy at least not until Percy looks for forgiveness. And Ron has spoken to Ginny.

**Ghosette **Cheers for reading, as we get further in and they all start to get back together the chapters may not all be from one persons point of view although I am enjoying writing that way, we'll wait and see exactly how the story develops but I may have to figure out which symbol I like to symbolise a change of POV. Glad to hear I motivated you, you've no idea how your reviews motivate to get off my behind and get my fingers working. :-)

**Straycat** Thanks for your review – on my birthday, a great present. Back in your review of chapter one you asked about the use of the name Katelyn. I use it this spelling 1) because it's the way a friend spells if so I thought I had it right and 2) when I looked it up on an internet baby name search engine it means pure one which I thought was apt for the Malfoy family. Thanks for the compliments, hope that you'll be honest and tell me if the writing gets bad again. To be honest I didn't enjoy this chapter myself, I don't know if it was that I was writing Ginny or because I was trying to bring a couple of things together in the chapter. When I said fifteen year old at the top of chapter 4 I meant Harry not be I am now 26 – time to update my profile – I can see where the confusion came from though.


	7. Percy

A/N Yep just bought them all from JK – pah

Chapter 7: Percy

6th July 1996

Percival Weasley was just charming his breakfast dishes to wash when there was a knock on his front door on a sunny July morning. His girlfriend Penelope Clearwater called out that she'd get it. They were expecting Percy's Hogwarts roommate Oliver Wood and for once it looked as though he was running early. Quidditch practice must have finished early for once. Since leaving Hogwarts the pair of best friends had made a habit to routinely meet up for lunch on the first Saturday of the month with Oliver coming by whenever practice finished, usually about twelve. A quick glance at the kitchen clock told him that it was barely ten.

Penelope stuck her head round the door, looking delectable in his shirt, leaving him time to wonder how such a gorgeous girl had picked him before he processed what she said.

"Your brothers and sister are here."

"What!"

"I think you heard me"

"Which of them are here?"

"All of them."

"All of them!"

"Stop repeating what I say please"

"Sorry, but all of them! Are you sure?"

"Well I counted five red headed males and one red headed female, two were definitely the twins and Ron and Ginny are there too, Bill's there and I can only presume that the last one is Charlie, so yeah all of them"

"Something must be wrong at home for them all to be here."

"Of course something is wrong at home Perce, you're not there." The two jumped about two foot in the air at the female voice that interrupted them.

"Ginny!"

"So you do remember my name then. Any chance you'll come into your living room so that I can test you on the others? You do have five brothers in case you've forgotten."

"Of course I remember Ginny, I just didn't expect you all to just turn up here."

"Yeah, well we didn't expect you to turn out to be the stupid one either, so I guess that makes us even. So are you going to talk to us? Doesn't matter, we're not leaving until you do. And I wouldn't dawdle if I were you, you'll only annoy us further."

"I'll be right in, let me just put on a shirt."

"Not one of Penelope is wearing please, the twins will ridicule you more than they are already planning to. They can't believe you had it in you Perce. Not sure I can believe it myself."

"Believe what?"

"Percy your girlfriend is wearing your shirt." Ginny rolled her eyes and turned to Penelope.She turned on her heal back towards the living room.

"Don't be too long Percy, you'll only leave the twins with time to think up things to tease you with." She called back over her shoulder.

"Go on and change love, I'll stick the kettle on and make some tea for you all.

Two minutes later Percy was back in the kitchen and starting to panic his brothers were here. All of them! How could he face them he knew he was doing the right thing? But he couldn't let them know. There were things in motion, in motion for years. He was protecting them, in ways they couldn't yet understand. But would they understand in the long run? He could tell that despite her calm exterior Ginny was angry. And if Ginny was angry they all were. Damn hot headedness and loyalty issues that they all had. But yet they couldn't trust his loyalty. He had their best interests at heart and they only believed the very worst of him. Penny passed Percy a tray loaded down with teapot, mugs and biscuits and pecked him on the cheek wishing him luck.

"I'll go meet Oliver in Puddlemere, come find us when you're done. I'm sure we'll be at his flat." Percy took a deep breath, counted to ten and braced himself for the firing squad.

"I still say we beat the snot out of him Gin, sending mum's jumper back. He deserves to have both his legs broken."

"This coming from the brother who moans every year about the colour of his jumper." Percy entered the argument as soon as he entered the room.

"But we've never had to force Ron to wear his," Fred said

"Like we did during your fifth year," George added

"While I might not like the colour maroon I DO appreciate the effort mum goes to for us, although why she bothers with you…"

"Enough Ron," Bill said sharply, "we didn't come here to belittle Percy."

"No just my choices, right Bill."

"No, not that either Perce," Charlie told him, "we just wanted to remind you that we are family and that we're here when you're ready."

There was something wrong Percy could see it in the sudden snap of Bill's head in Charlie's direction at that proclamation. Clearly this was not part of the pre-planned dialogue. Percy had never known is oldest brother go into any situation with out planning in exact detail, it was what made him a good curse breaker, he examined all the options in front of him. Of course his reaction also indicated that in some way they, or at least Bill, were here to belittle his choices. Then again Ron and the twins and more than likely Ginny just wanted him to admit that Harry had been right and he and the Minister wrong. Oh if they only knew. Did Charlie know? Was that why he was deviating from Bill's plan? No she would've warned him if she was back in touch with Charlie. If for no other reason than to warn him to stay out of Charlie's way.

"Right." Bill was being vague, in other words trying to make a come back to his prearranged plan.

"We understand Percy, that it can be difficult to make your way in the wizarding world and create your own identity, but is this really the way you want to do it?" Bill asked.

Yes actually 

"How do you mean Bill? I formed an opinion last year based on the facts that I had at the time and I stand by them. Granted I've been proved wrong by You-Know-Who's appearance on the Ministry and I will admit that. But somehow I have a feeling that you are talking about some of the things our Father and I discussed last year."

"Since when are you calling dad, Father, Perce?" Charlie asked

"A while"

"Yes I'm talking about the things that you and dad discussed last year. That's if you call discussing, a good yelling session. You were quite hurtful you know."

"And of course Father was nothing but respectful to me!"

"Fudge hired you to be his assistant despite what happened with Crouch, didn't that strike you as suspicious."

_Of course it did._

"Even if it did, do you think I appreciated being yelled at like an idiot?"

"Shouldn't have behaved like one then should you!" Ron snarled. "And you should've believed Harry, he's never given you a reason not to has he?"

But I did Ron, I did 

"Harry is your friend not mine, I don't know him that well at all."

"So you're saying you don't trust my judgement with the friends that I make then!"

"And forgetting that it was Harry that saved Ginny from that bastard?" George fumed

"I haven't forgotten, nor have I forgotten his Parselmouth ability."

"So what if he's a Parselmouth, he couldn't have got to the Chamber if he wasn't."

"Parseltongue is a Slytherin trait."

"And getting all O's in your exams is supposed to be something only Ravenclaws can do, yet you and Bill managed just fine." Ginny threw back at him. "The shame of it, having personality traits that belong to other houses."

Percy was getting nowhere and decided to pause for a moment and gather his thoughts so poured himself a cup of tea and took a biscuit. With a bite and a sudden flump he was covered in yellow feathers.

"Like that Percy, a Canary Cream, courtesy of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, something else you've missed out on in our lives? Like to know where we got the start up money? Harry gave us his Tri-Wizard winnings, because you see he just loves the attention that Cedric dying gave him."

_I know he hates it._

"No instead he bribes people to be loyal to him." _Crikey Ron was going to kill him._

"Why you…."

"Ron, no… don't." His fourteen year old sister was protecting him from his youngest brother, the other four watching Ron in shock at his behaviour as he attempted to cross the room to Percy, with only Ginny standing between the two brothers.

"How dare you speak that way about Harry. You've got no idea what his life is like; he has no need to bribe people to be his friend. He doesn't even have to worry anymore about people only wanting to be his friend because he's famous, you and your precious Minister saw to that. Not to mention the 'really delightful' Umbridge, which you know is quite useful when it comes to dealing with Harry when he is 'unbalanced and violent'. He read that you know, your letter. He knows exactly what you think of him. I don't know why we bothered coming."

"Ron, please, you promised."

"You never read the letter he wrote to me Gin, about Harry," Ron sank back into the armchair, "I've never been more ashamed of a family member. Did you know Percy that Umbridge tried to use the Cruciatus curse on him? So much for us being safe at school." This last comment seemed to be directed at the couch Bill and Charlie were sitting at though, rather than Percy himself.

"More of Potters' tales…"

"Both Ron and I were in the room when she tried to cast it Percy, there's no doubt as to her intention if Hermione hadn't distracted her…. Well."

"This isn't what we are here to discuss."

"Then what exactly are we here to discuss Bill?" Ginny asked. "I thought we were just here to help Percy see the error of his ways, another perspective on the last year. He threw his towel in with Fudge and Umbridge. Surely that means telling him that it was Umbridge that sent Dementors after Harry, meaning he had to do underage magic. The same Dementors that have now left Azkaban. Just whose side is Fudge on? Which side is Percy on?" She was beginning to tear up but refusing to let herself cry, she turned to him. "You don't have to come home with us now, but think about the things we've said. We love you Percy even if you've been a git. You are our git and even if Bill is trying to be the bossy one and forgetting that the rest of us aren't seven anymore he has your best intentions at heart. Ron, however, may kill you."

"Thanks Gin, thank you all, I appreciate your concern but for now I have to do what I believe is right. The Minister – and I – stand corrected. Harry was right. You – Know- Who is back. Now is a time for caution and I hope you can understand this but I'm going to stay at the Ministry with Fudge and try and sort this all out. Now is not the time for the fate of the wizarding world to lie in the hands of a fifteen year old boy no matter what his destiny." Ron's head had snapped at that comment and his brow furrowed. "And Ron, I am sorry for the letter, I just worry for you, it can not be easy being Harry's friend, I think that perhaps you miss out on being a normal teenager, but he, and you, was right and I was wrong and perhaps that's why you keep beating me at chess."

Charlie sensing that an end had come to the discussion stood.

"Well. Percy, you know where to find us, and Dad, for the apology that you owe him. The only thing left to say is that I hope you come to your senses sometime soon." He turned to his other siblings. "Let's get going shall we?" The only one to give any problem was Bill. "Come on big brother, the Valley of Kings wasn't built in a day, we've left Percy with some things to think on, so there's not much else we can do for now, he knows now that we won't ignore him if he wants to talk on anything."

Percy threw the plateful of biscuits into the bin, not knowing which of them would be jinxed and regretting that he was not able to tell the difference, although with Fred and George that was probably the point. They had changed, there was a toughness there somewhere under their fun loving exterior. Was that just directed at him or was it a change to their characters that he had missed and if so what had caused it. Well there was the impending war of course. He'd known since Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor that Ron would be in the thick of everything with him. Not because of Harry's fame but because Harry was able to see Ron as an individual and Ron was able to do the same for him. Ron, sixteen and angry and rightfully so. His best friend dismissed as a mad man by the entire wizarding world only to have that best friend proved right only after his godfather had been killed. Yes, Percy knew what was going on possibly more so than Bill and Charlie did, one of the benefits to working both sides of a story. His older brothers still seemed intent on sheltering Ron and Ginny from the war, no doubt due to their own vague memories of the last one. Bill especially seemed to be having difficulty realising that a new war was upon them and his younger siblings especially Ron would be in the thick of it. This in itself was odd, Bill was always the realist of the siblings, and maybe that was now causing him problems. His reality was that his siblings were at war both with themselves and the outside world.

Perhaps it was time for Percy to make his move show him where his loyalty lay. But that in itself wasn't going to be easy, he had said some terrible things in the heat of the moment last year to his father, but he had just returned from his inquiry at work and was all in all quite relieved. The personnel department had handed him his new assignment just after the inquiry board had cleared him and he had waited until he got home to read it, where his father had gone completely through the roof. And Percy had reacted, people thought of him as the mild mannered brother but when pushed his Weasley temper could come out in true force just as it did that day.

He sighed as he placed the mugs back in the cupboard. His baby sister had grown up too, no longer did she use her tears to coerce her brothers and ensure that she got her own way in all things but now, there was a maturity there that shouldn't be, she should be forty before she knew some of the things that she did but that bastard had changed that. And yet his brothers still thought that he might be capable of siding with that bastard and his ways. But maybe that was the nature of war, and it was what he needed them to believe, it served his purpose for the moment that they doubted his beliefs but it hurt like hell. But then he was hurting them too wasn't he; his only hope was that they would forgive him when the time came.

He moved to the bedroom of his flat, looking for his jumper, he held the navy jumper at arms length and found himself regretting once more that he had sent his Christmas jumper back to his mother, a necessary evil, but nevertheless, this one was getting a tad threadbare especially round the elbows.

Charlie had surprised him this morning, normally the more laid back of his older brothers, happy to let Bill be the oldest and Percy keep those younger than him in line he had been quite assertive today. Perhaps he had realized that the war was coming and they're younger siblings were going to be in the thick of it and maybe Charlie just wanted him around again. Of all his siblings, he was closest to Charlie. They'd spent a lot of time together after the twins were born and Bill was at Hogwarts, not the Percy remembered a lot of it, but Charlie was a constant in his life and that continued up until he went to school a nervous first year and Charlie at that stage about to start his final year, he must have been a real pain to his older brother considering Charlie was studying for his NEWTs at the time and although Percy hadn't known it until he went to school his older brother had also been in love. Percy had known there was a girlfriend Bill often teased Charlie when they were home for the holidays, but to see Charlie like that. It had been like watching a younger mum and dad. And Katelyn had been so nice to him he figured that was why he had started keeping her secrets.It was the first morning of his second year at Hogwarts and he was sitting at breakfast with his roommate Oliver Wood catching up after the summer holidays when the grey owl first appeared at the Gryffindor table. And in an odd way relishing that he had no brothers at school with him, it would after all be a nightmare when the twins arrived next year.

_1st September 1988_

_Dear Percy_

_I hope that you don't mind me writing to you, although by the time I've finished this you probably will, because I have a favour to ask and it's one you probably won't like. If you wish to refuse to do it you should go ahead, after all your loyalty lies with Charlie – he is your brother. _

_I was hoping Percy that you might keep me up to date on his life, just let me know that he's keeping well, that my decision was worth it. Daily I regret not accepting his invitation to come home with both of you, but then I remember tales of the twins and I know that I would be a hindrance in your household and in doing so I would make your family a target for my family's wrath. My father is capable of terrible things and by rights should be in Azkaban where other members of my extended family are for their own cruel deeds. I am not like the rest of my family and with the exception of Dora and her parents have no wish to be. As such I do believe that were I to stay a fate worse than that my aunt Bellatrix bestowed upon the Longbottoms would befall you all and I would never forgive myself._

_I also believe that with my new found "allergy" to magic I would hinder Charlie's future career. The natural magic of dragons would mean I could not be in close contact with them and I fear that over time this could cause problems between us. And while my heart is breaking, as I'm sure is Charlie's at least I know that I will never end up hating him, although I no longer assume that the reverse is true. _

_I think at this stage I've rambled enough, and written an extremely girly, emotional letter that you've probably hated – sorry. My owl will await your reply until you are ready to send it. Know this Percy whatever decision you make I know that it will be for the best._

_Kind regards_

_K. M._

Percy had replied to the girl who had been so kind to him the previous year in an attempt to stay in touch so that when Charlie came to his senses Percy would be able to reveal his knowledge of Katelyns whereabouts. But as time went by Charlie seemed to close himself off to that part of his life. Nobody, not even their mother dared to tease him about his love life. Percy had long suspected that his brother had realized that he had over reacted to the perceived slight that Katelyn had chosen Franklin over Charlie, and come to see that she had just been clearing up the ends of her old life before starting to see how she might be able to live with her life cursed. The _Definio_ was often used in their home, it had to be with the twins and even at twelve he had known that it would not been an easy life for Katelyn. And Charlie stubborn mule that he was, a Weasley trait to be sure, refused to speak to anyone now about how he felt, and without knowing Percy would not reveal her location. It left the way open for more heartache, especially now he knew all the facts.

He had stayed in touch with Katelyn Malfoy for the past eight years, using only her owl, even when Hermes came his way. Only two people knew of his continued association with her, Oliver who had been sitting beside him when the letter first came and was sworn to secrecy and Penny, who had been worried that he had had another girlfriend. Katelyn knew that they both were aware of his correspondence with her and that they could keep a secret. They were also aware of his more recent discovery. When Katelyn had first mentioned Ben in her letters Oliver had insisted that Kate was lying about his age and that he was in fact her new boyfriend despite her declaration that he was an older colleague that was lonely after being recently widowed. Percy though had been adamant that Katelyn and Charlie were meant to be and no one could replace him for her. They had both been right and wrong in their own ways. Last year, following the discovery, that Crouch had been sending in owls while under the Imperius Percy had been dispatched to an International Conference on the Standardization of Magical Equipment and present the findings of his investigation into cauldron bottom thickness. Fortunately, the conference had been held in Washington DC in America, where Katelyn now resided. After checking into the hotel he had ventured into the American Muggle world with hopes that any strange things he might have said or done were excused in the event of him being a foreigner. He had managed to get to the law firm that she now worked in, which specialised in Muggle/Magic relations. He knew she had chosen law in an attempt to find the best way of getting revenge upon her father while not breaking the law herself.

He had asked at reception to see Lyn Foy, the name Katelyn now used, something she had said was close enough to her own name that she wouldn't forget who she was. Moments later she had appeared before him, a huge smile on he face and enveloped him into a hug. He had been explaining why he was in town when a young red head stepped off the lift. He had stared in confusion at the miniature version of his older brother held onto the hand of a blonde woman that Katelyn obviously knew. There had been a garbled conversation the blondes' mother had been in an accident of some sort and was now in hospital and had to go. All the while miniature Charlie had stared at Percy, neither of them blinking. It had reminded Percy of the silly games he and Charlie had played as kids. Percy had nearly always won these having a more patient nature than Charlie who had always wanted to go on to the next game. Kate had just finished seeing the blonde onto the lift when Percy had stuck his hand out and introduced himself.

"Hello, you must be Ben, my name is Percy, and I'm your uncle."

"Yeah, I'm Ben. You look a lot older than in your picture."

"Well, I've gotten older than I am in any of the pictures your mum would have of me."

"Percy, I can explain."

"I think I can figure it out Katelyn, after all he is the image of Charlie. How old are you Ben?"

"Seven and almost a quarter."

"Almost a quarter, wow, you'll be eight before you know it."

The boy smiled at this appreciation of the extra special fraction.

"When is your birthday so I can be sure to get a present in time?

"April 20th"

"I'll be sure to remember."

And as such Percy had been introduced to one of the most important members of the Weasley family. For that was what he was through and through. Katelyn had ensured that Charlie's name was on the birth certificate and Ben was known in school be his Weasley surname. He may have had no contact with his family but Katelyn had told him the stories that she had heard from Charlie and she read him the letters that she got from him. The boy knew everything about them all. He could have been living in Romania with Charlie for all these years. And Percy understood the need for secrecy. If Lucius Malfoy knew that Katelyn had had Charlie's baby there really would be hell to pay, and what had happened to Ginny would look like childs' play compared to what would befall both Kate and Ben and so Percy had agreed to keep the secret on the condition that he could tell Oliver and Penny when he returned home and when the time came he could let Charlie know the truth. With the war finally acknowledged it looked as though that time might be approaching.

Ready now to go out he glanced again at the clock, nearly one and time for lunch, which meant Oliver and Penny would be able to interrogate him as to what his siblings had wanted. And try and get him to tell all that was going on. Only they and Dumbledore knew that he had taken the position with Fudge in an attempt to stay close to the Minister. And only Penny and Oliver knew he had taken the job in an attempt to keep an eye on Malfoy who had been able to get far to close to the Minister for an accused Death Eater. Of course all this didn't mean Charlie wouldn't skin him alive once he knew that Percy was hiding his son from him.

**A/N – Well hope it was worth the weight, personally I had been hoping that Fred and George would give Percy a harder time of it but I just couldn't manage it because I knew he was going to turn out to be a good one. Sorry to those of you who were expecting that to happen. **

**On another note I know I had hoped for updating fortnightly and honestly that is what I planned but my health problems didn't clear up as easily as I had thought they would. I can't promise another chapter in a fortnight because as we all know HBP is coming out. My own thesis deadline is drawing nearer and I need to buckle down to it and my next chapter is going to get back to Draco and I have to get back into a suitably snotty mindset. **

**Gingerbed** Thanks (again) for your review. I'll take on board the point about long paragraphs, someone else said it to me as well so I will try and stop doing it but keep pointing it out to me. As you can see I abandoned the idea of more Ginny cause really I was just putting off doing Percy. I wanted to attempt to avoid repeating all the scenes I've seen of this reunion of sorts, how good I did well you tell me. I probably should have let him suffer at the hands of the twins a bit more. I wasn't going to involve Katelyn just yet but then we haven't heard from her since the first chapter, which is part of the reason for the title change, as I continue to plan and write I see Draco and Katelyn becoming less involved than I had originally thought they would be. As to who the Guardians are….. well you'll just have to keep reading.


	8. Nature's Nobility

A/N Nope not mine

**Chapter 8: Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy**

**8th July 1996**

Draco Malfoy was sitting surrounded by books in the History section of the Diagon Alley public library. He only hoped that sitting in the History section prevented him from being spotted by anyone he knew. It wasn't like anyone from school would even come into this section of the library, not the way Binns taught the subject, except for maybe Granger. Now she was the last person he wanted to see here.

He had been driven to the library by events of the past week. He had been staying with his aunt Andromeda, "Call me Andy, please," for that week. And it had been hell. For a start there were no house elves and he had had to prepare his own breakfast and lunch because his aunt and uncle were at work and there was little to do. He didn't have textbooks for school yet not knowing his OWL results although he was hopeful about some of the exams it didn't do to count chickens before they hatched.

It was very odd staying in his aunt's home, she didn't even have her own house. It seemed that they'd moved into a flat in London after his cousin had finished her Auror training. After being able to hide himself away from his parents while in the manor it was very strange not being able to leave the bedroom he had been given without bumping into either his aunt or his uncle. This was one of the reasons that he had come out to the library, he needed to get out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of the house….flat. The other reason was that he had wanted to do some research. He had been returning from the Hospital Wing when Potter and his friends returned to the castle, it had taken Madam Pomfrey ages to fix the hex that Weaslette had used on him, in fact if he hadn't known better he would have sworn that she made it worse before she made it better. What had struck him in the days afterwards, when reports stared of what had happened that caused them to return to school so bloodied was not that they had been leading Umbridge around the Forbidden Forest which was what he had initially suspected but that they had taken on Death Eaters and survived.

He was aware that his father was a Death Eater and that the ruse of the fact that he had been imperioed during the Dark Lord's last reign was not true. With time on his hands in his aunts he had realised that out of the six people that had been in battle only two were not pure bloods. The Dark Lord who claimed to be all for the purity of magic seemed to encourage his followers to harm those who were pure bloods which made no sense to Draco. Sure the Weasley were traitors to the their blood but surely they were needed to maintain the population. Someone after all would have to do the dirty work. Or at least that was what Draco had always presumed, but now. Well he wasn't quite sure what had changed but he wasn't so convinced in the teachings of his father anymore. How was it that Harry Potter – a half blood - always seemed to escape from the Dark Lord – supposedly the most powerful wizard ever? How was it that Hermione Granger – a mudblood – was able to grasp the new magic they were taught so easily? How was it that his cousin another half blood had the ability that she did? And how was it that two supposedly loving parents had abandoned their pureblood son? Granted his father was in jail but his mother didn't have that excuse, she had just upped and left him, he didn't know if she had joined the Dark Lord or just disappeared. Either way he was on his own, left with family he barely knew thanks to his parents prejudices. His aunt was a Healer and his uncle worked for the WWN, both were important jobs within the wizarding community and he was having trouble now trying to figure out how his parents contributed to society. Sure they were committee members of various different things, but from what he had heard from his aunt the board members of St. Mungo's routinely slowed things down, funding going to the wrong place, something else he was here to research. He was reading through history books in an attempt to get a more balanced view of the Dark Lord's last reign. And he did not like what he was reading, quite a lot of pureblood lines appeared to have been wiped out, to the extent that one of the authors thought that without marriage outside of the remaining lines magic would become extinct. There would eventually be no one left to marry who wasn't in some way related to you and that had caused him to look at a book in the family history section – there wasn't a Slytherin girl in his year or the years immediately above or below him that he wasn't related to. While he wasn't in a particular hurry to get married he realised that if he wanted to comply with what his father had always taught him he would have to marry a relative and well that was just ick.

He'd also spent some time thinking about his sister, in some ways he had forgotten about her, she had just faded from his memory. She had not been around for a lot of his childhood anyway as he had been born seven months before she started Hogwarts. His aunt had brought her up in conversation almost accidentally and then had been shocked that he had known next to nothing about her, including the reason that she had been disowned and this in itself had made him think more about the lessons that his father had taught him. His sister had fallen in love and not with the person that their father had arranged for her to marry, but still with a pureblood. Granted it was a Weasley pureblood, but to disown her so completely and bind her magic in such a way, surely that was against the things that his father had taught him previously. And now she was gone and no one knew where to find her, Andy was sure that is Katelyn knew that he was in trouble she would be back in a flash to take care of him. He on the other hand wasn't so sure after all she hadn't visited much that he could remember before she'd been disowned why would she care about him now? He was lost in thoughts about his family when he heard the shrill voice of someone talking quite loudly and really it was quite irksome and disturbing to his concentration. It seemed as though some old biddy was arguing about whether or not a book was late back and was refusing to pay the fine owing on it. It had totally broken his concentration which might not be such a bad thing. He was currently researching the Longbottom family and he was not liking what he was reading, it seemed that his aunt Bellatrix and her husband had been jailed for subjecting two Aurors to the Cruciatus curse, something the newspaper article had reported was done in the presence of their fifteen month old son Neville. Growing up he was only aware that his relatives were imprisoned because they had been fighting for the cause, but now it seemed they had tortured two purebloods for no other reason than distress over the whereabouts of their master and the possibility that these two Aurors might know of his whereabouts. Had they been hoping that a fifteen month old Neville could tell them? In some ways it was no wonder he was so jumpy and easy to bully a memory however vague of your parents being treated like this would have been horrendous. Perhaps it was time for a break, a spot of lunch in the Alley and he could come back and read about the Lovegood family, he wasn't doing any research into the Weasley's there was no doubts about where their loyalties lay and why, but he was curious about the others and why they as purebloods didn't see the ways of the Dark…. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as being those that were right. He had already convinced himself through his reading that blood purity was not the way to go but wanted to find out why other people had reached this decision before him and get a feeling for the general feeling of the wizarding world rather than just his fathers' view. That and he was uncomfortable being in his aunt's house alone, he much preferred being surrounded by books and learning something new. As he was passing the issue desk of the library he noted that the witch was still there complaining about the fine that was supposedly due on the book she was returning wearing a vulture stuffed hat she was a sight to behold and Draco felt sympathy for the witch behind the desk, because he wasn't watching where he was going he was forced to suddenly brace himself against a display cabinet instead of falling as he bumped into someone. The person he bumped into turned with surprise and Draco suddenly found himself face to face with the object of his previous thoughts as Neville Longbottom turned to face him.

The shock of coming face to face with the boy he had just been reading about, he didn't know where to look and yet he didn't want to look away, didn't want Longbottom to think that he had been weakened just because of his fathers imprisonment.

"Longbottom", he couldn't seem to bring himself to give the boy his usual sneer in light of his recent reading.

"Malfoy,"

"Neville", Longbottom jumped and turned and faced the woman with the vulture hat.

"Gran."

"And young Mr. Malfoy."

"Hello Mrs…..Longbottom," he was hesitant in his address not sure who exactly Neville lived with his maternal or paternal grandmother, he hadn't read that far in his research of the family.

"Indeed young man," he watched her rake her eyes over him "Are you alone today?"

"Umm, yes ma'am my aunt and uncle are working and I wanted to do some reading."

"Hmmm, well then I suppose that you'll have to join us for lunch then."

"GRAN!"

"Neville, the young man has been here all week apparently doing some research the librarian tells me, I think I would like to know a little of what he has found so fascinating."

For the first time Draco and Neville had something on common – their looks of horror at the prospect of sharing lunch and of course Draco knew the subject matter of their discussion – but he couldn't think of anyway out of this without insulting the older witch – something he didn't think he wanted to do. Deciding to bite the billywig he stepped around the witch and opened the door.

"After you ma'am"

A/N Sorry for the LONG delay, but things in real life are back on track and I should be able to update a bit more regularly than I have been. Considering it's been six months since an update that shouldn't be too difficult. I had meant for this to be a longer chapter with the discussion over lunch – but I can't get it to work out for me.

Ginny Zabini thanks for reading


	9. Hermione

**No still not mine – but I've decided it's time for someone other than Harry to be…. Well, you'll see.**

**Chapter 9 – Hermione**

**12th July, St. John's Hospice, Leeds**

Hermione was sitting at her mothers' bedside, watching her while she slept, Emma Granger spent so much of her time sleeping now, her decline had been incredibly fast – at least from Hermione's point of view although she had recently learned that her mother had not been well for some time and now she faced the task of writing to Ron to tell him her woes. She needed to tell someone about what was going on, talk to them, have someone listen and well there was no one she trusted more than Ron – apart from maybe Harry and well this really wasn't something she felt she could bring to him just yet, he was after all doing some grieving of his own.

_12th July 1996_

_Dear Ron_

_Please forgive me for not writing sooner, things have been hectic since I got off the train and this will be a long letter to make up for it. I hope that you have been keeping well. Have you heard any news of Harry? I'm afraid I've not had the time to write to him either._

_I don't know how to explain all that is going on my mind is in such a jumble I suppose I should begin at the beginning, the difficulty being in deciding where the beginning begins. I'll start with when my parents and I left Kings Cross last week. As you know I had decided that the time had come to tell my parents a little more about the evil that threatens our world. As you quite rightly pointed out in the Hospital Wing I now have a 'ruddy great scar' across my chest that can't be explained away by a story of a falling library book. So when dad asked how the year had gone I told them about the evilness that was Umbridge. I thought that with her being our defence teacher I could introduce the idea of why defence is so important to us. However, I swiftly got the impression that they were either not paying close attention or they though I was overreacting to her behaviour. But honestly Ron, when I got no reaction about Harrys' lines and how that quill worked I started to get upset with them._

_At this point we arrived home and while I thought I might go to my room, unpack and calm down a little after their inattention before attempting to talk with them again my mother instead asked me to join her for tea. There was something in the way she said it Ron I just, well, I couldn't refuse and when I sat at the kitchen table and looked at her I was so shocked. I saw things I hadn't noticed at the station and seriously Ron, how could I not have noticed? Did you see them? The huge bags under her eyes? The weight she seems to have lost? The limpness of her hair? So I asked her if she was alright, and to be honest I was expecting her to say she had a cold or a bug of some sort. But that's wasn't how she replied, Merlin Ron, how could I not have seen the signs? My mother told me that day that she's dying. That's just how she said it. Blurted it out. Dying! Didn't want to tell me in a letter. Cancer. Diagnosed in January. FIVE months ago Ron! Breast cancer! She had both breasts removed on Valentines Day. I was sitting in the Three Broomsticks with Luna, Harry and that FOUL Rita Skeeter when my mother was having her breasts removed! They did a biopsy – a Muggle medical test that is used to check whether they had managed to remove all the cancerous cells. A week later she was told that the cancer had spread to the bone – Muggles have no cure for that type of cancer.I'm not sure one exists in the magical world either. It's going like wildfire through her. She told me she was waiting for me to come home. To see her at home one last time. She was going to enter a hospice the next day. But she wanted me to have one last 'normal' day at home. Nothing was normal. My mother was dying what's normal about that? So she moved to the hospice that following day. She doesn't want any chemotherapy treatments. Too painful she says but instead she's doped up on morphine – a powerful Muggle painkiller and so she sleeps a lot of the time. I know this is selfish of me but I don't want her to sleep I want her to wake up and talk to me. I want to cram in a lifetime of memories to just a few days. I don't think she'll live much longer Ron. She sleeps so much and I haven't been able to tell her all I wanted to. Not just the evil in our world but the good things too. I want her to know I love her and that I'll miss her. I don't want her to go I want her to see me graduate. I want her to know my O.W. L. results all that time I studied. I should've written more letters home. And even though I'm terrible at it I should've gone skiing at Christmas. But then we thought that you're dad might be dying. I had no idea that all along it was my mother. At least she didn't know either. I don't know why but that seems important. Is it because she knows I didn't abandon her when she needed me? But it feels like I did. We'll never have another Christmas together. My last Christmas at home was first year, I was twelve Ron, and all I wanted to do was get back to school and figure out who Nicolas Flamel was. I can't remember a single happy time from that Christmas when it was just her and me. And now there will be no more Christmas memories. It's not fair Ron, I know life isn't fair, look at Harry he has no happy memories of his mother but I'm afraid it's my turn to be selfish I want more happy memories. All this time I've spent thinking that Voldemort would come after my parents because of me and instead it's good old fashioned cancer that is going to kill her. _

_I haven't written to Harry yet, I don't know how I'm going to tell him. Maybe now I've rambled on to you I can write something a bit more structured and less selfish to him. And I suppose I'm grateful that this is not something that he can blame himself for. But still I need to tell him without drowning myself in self pity somehow because I know he is having a rough time of it himself. But I sit in the hospice day after day and my head just wants to explode. I wish we had homework this summer, I know we haven't had our O.W.L. results and so can't pick our N.E.W.T. subjects but I need to do something, anything to keep my mind off what is going on._

_I feel so alone here sometimes, my Dad is so wrapped up in my Mum and even though I'm in the same room as them I feel as though there is a wall between them and me but I understand that. They spend all their time together. They live and work together. His heart is breaking right in front of me and there is nothing I can do to stop it. I don't think I want to. A part of me wonders what it is like to watch someone you love dying and then I think about all the time we've spent in the Hospital Wing. The scariest times being after the Shrieking Shack and the Department of Mysteries._

_I think Mum's waking up now so I'm going to stop this. I'm sorry that I've been so emotional I know you don't like crying girls and there are tears all over this letter. But I had to let you know why I hadn't written. Is there any chance you could come for a visit? Just for a day Ron. We're still connected to the Floo and I'm home every morning until 10. We're the Granger residence on the Network._

_Yours _

_Hermione_

As her mother stirred from her drug induced slumber Hermione rolled up the scroll of parchment that she had written her letter on and tucked it into her bag knowing that she would be passing city's main branch post office and thus the one with a post owl office in it on her way home. She smiled at her mother as she blinked herself into wakefulness and then reached out to hold her mothers hand.

"Hello, love was I out for long?"

"No mum not long, just enough time for me to write a letter to Ron, is it alright if he comes to visit tomorrow morning for a bit before I come here to visit you?"

"Of course it is love, I'm sure that you need someone to talk to 'bout all this. Is that what you'll be doing just talking?" There was a teasing note to Emma's voice, fragile as it was.

"Muuum, Ron and I are just friends, that's all."

"But you'd like to be a little bit more than that I think."

Hermione had started to blush at this point,

"Well, maybe, but, well he hardly notices that I'm a girl, not that I can blame him, I mean it's not like I'm especially pretty or anything."

"Hermione Jane Granger, who told you that you weren't pretty?" Her mother demanded with as much force as her weakened body could muster.

"Mum, I know I'm not, I mean this hair for a start. It's enough to drive e insane most of the time the only reason I leave it down is because I can't get it to stay up in any way – even with my _special _skills it takes hours to do."

"Hmm…. perhaps we should think about a visit to the hairdresser then and see if there is someway of thinning it out a bit. I think that maybe that is something that you might have to do yourself, I don't think that I'm going to be able to get to the hairdresser again."

"Mum, don't talk like that, please."

"Now love, you know that I'm only being realistic I've barely any energy any more," and to prove it her mum dozed off again right in the middle of a sentence. Hermione was finding it quite disconcerting to have her mum just fade from a conversation, it didn't matter how important it might be, her treatment or what Hermione was going to have for her dinner that evening when she got home. Her mum just dropped off to sleep whenever she felt like it. It had made things particularly difficult when trying to discuss the goings on in the wizarding world to her parents. Especially as it was exceedingly difficult to get her parents together. Her dad was spending his nights and mornings with her mum in the hospice. And then Hermione would join them around eleven but her dad was often away to work by midday so that he could handle the afternoon clinics in the surgery and catch up on any paperwork that was needed. They had two locum dentists in at the moment to share the workload but it was still necessary for her dad to maintain an active role. And it probably helped keep him focused having to do something other than sit by his wifes bed. When he returned to the hospice at around six in the evening they usually sent Hermione home as they didn't want her to be travelling too late in the evenings but it meant that while she had time to be spending with her mother, it wasn't quality time and she only really had hurried hellos and goodbyes with her dad when he made sure that she had food in the house and money with which to buy more if needed. She had attempted to talk to her mum about the troubles with Voldemort but she would fade out and then not always remember what they had been discussing, or she couldn't understand the problem as Hermione was explaining it. She believed that her mother thought that magic was exactly like the fairy tales all sweetness and light and that bad witches could be killed with a good splash of water – there were times when she despised the world of film. She glanced at the clock on the wall in the room it was ten to five and her dad would be there soon and she would once again return to her home in Moor Allerton with no one for company but Crookshanks and the television remote. She looked up as the door to the room entered and her dad stuck his head in the door and smiled, it was good to see him, even if he did look haggard. She stood to give him a hug and as always felt secure in his arms.

"How is she?"

"She's been sleeping more and more dad, I am worried about her."

"I know love but there isn't anything more that we can do now."

"Dad…"

"I know you don't want to think about it poppet but I talked with the nurses and they don't think your mum has much longer left."

Hermione felt her eyes well up with tears and felt like her heart was breaking, she turned slowly to look at her mum.

"Do I have to go home tonight dad?"

"Yes poppet, your mum wouldn't like you to see her to suffer too much."

"Dad..."

"Hermione, say your goodbyes and go on home, I'm sure she'll still be here tomorrow."

Hermione sat on her mothers bed and attempted to memorise every nuance and then felt that maybe this wasn't how she'd want to remember her mother anyway, lying in her death bed, far better to remember her living – although that might not be as easy asHErmione would like it to be. She had a feeling as she stepped back on the floor that the memory of her mother lying here dying would be etched into her mind regardless of whether or not she wanted it to be. She would go now and post the letter to Ron and hopefully he would come to visit her soon and she could have a good cry on his shoulder although that would probably scare him out of his mind at the same time.

**A/N Hopefully Hermione isn't too OOC, I know she rambled in the letter but she is distraught. If there is someone who has gone through what Hermione has and doesn't like the way that I have represented the situation I do apologise, the closest I've ever been to this is anecdotal stories and I in no way meant to upset anyone.**


End file.
